SPMCAPHOUS_19RYALT is a 5-digit numeric variable.

Description

SPMCAPHOUS_19RYALT measures the value of federal housing assistance received by members of a family and is used to calculate the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). The value of housing assistance is estimated using matched administrative data and is capped at the housing proportion of the SPM threshold minus the family contribution to housing costs.

This variable is an alternative version of SPMCAPHOUS that was re-released for the 2020 ASEC which reflects methodological changes first introduced with the 2021 CPS ASEC sample. For more information, see our documentation on the re-release of the 2019 SPM research file in the 2020 ASEC that describes methodological improvements that impact SPM resource and threshold variables. The SPM reference year is the calendar year to which the income, taxes, transfers, expenses, and poverty thresholds apply.

For additional information, see the Census Bureau's "Estimating the Value of Federal Housing Assistance for the Supplemental Poverty Measure" document.

SPMCAPHOUS_19RYALT is expressed in dollars of the survey year; users can adjust for inflation with Consumer Price Index adjustment factors.

Comparability

This variable is comparable over time.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables