Friday February 10, 2012

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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPresident Obama’s State of the Union Housing Proposal

Ted Gayer, January 25, 2012, The Brookings Institution

President Obama’s State of the Union Housing ProposalTed Gayer interprets the housing policy proposal for underwater homeowners hinted at in President Obama’s State of the Union address. Gayer discusses who would win and lose from a policy targeting "responsible homeowners" and notes the effects it would have on preventing foreclosures and stimulating the housing market. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhat's Wrong With American Housing?

Anthony Downs, December 28, 2011, The Brookings Institution

What's Wrong With American Housing?Anthony Downs examines the shortcomings of the housing market in the United States, pointing out nine deficiencies contributing to the sector’s current stagnation. He also offers recommendations for the housing market’s recovery. Read More

VIDEO

Save to My Portfolio@ Brookings Podcast: Consumer Holiday Spending Boosts Economy

Karen Dynan, December 23, 2011

@ Brookings Podcast: Consumer Holiday Spending Boosts EconomyKaren Dynan says there are several signals that the economy may be awakening from the Great Recession, but she warns of lingering weakness in the housing market, and looming turmoil in the Eurozone.

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioHousehold Deleveraging in 2011: Progress, but More to Come

Karen Dynan, December 19, 2011, The Brookings Institution

Household Deleveraging in 2011: Progress, but More to Come Karen Dynan discusses consumer deleveraging in 2011, analyzing what happened over the year and how it will effect household borrowing and consumer spending in 2012. Dynan notes, though, that important household debt-related headwinds remain and are likely to continue to hold back the economic recovery in 2012. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioTracking Economic Recession and Recovery in America’s 100 Largest Metropolitan Areas

Howard Wial, Siddharth Kulkarni and Richard Shearer, December 15, 2011, The Brookings Institution

Tracking Economic Recession and Recovery in America’s 100 Largest Metropolitan AreasThe 11th installment of the MetroMonitor series shows a slow recovery continuing in the third quarter for the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas. Metro areas continued to experience a very slow recovery of both employment and output. The authors examine metro unemployment rates, housing markets, manufacturing job growth, and financial sector performance. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioMountain Monitor: Tracking Economic Recession and Recovery in the Intermountain West’s Metropolitan Areas

Mark Muro and Kenan Fikri, December 15, 2011, The Brookings Institution

The eighth edition of the Mountain Monitor supplement to the MetroMonitor examines trends among metros in the Intermountain West and reports that the pace of recovery improved in the region over the third quarter of 2011.  High technology and manufacturing industries boosted some metropolitan economies and the housing bust’s drag on others began to abate.  Notwithstanding some notable bright spots, however, the region’s recovery—following the nation’s—remains vulnerable to outside shocks and in need of a stronger engine of job creation. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Economy in 2011 and Beyond: Bright Spots Amid Dark Clouds

George L. Perry, December 14, 2011, The Brookings Institution

The Economy in 2011 and Beyond: Bright Spots Amid Dark CloudsGeorge Perry gives an economic outlook for 2012 by examining the past year's macroeconomic bright spots. Perry explains recent developments in the jobs market, construction and real estate indicators, and trade, but also notes that uncertainty in global markets could throw off a wider recovery in the U.S. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioDevelopments in the Housing Market: 2011

Ted Gayer, December 12, 2011, The Brookings Institution

a couple in their new houseTed Gayer examines why the house market weakened in 2011, looking to causes such as excess inventories of homes and the continuing problem of underwater borrowers who owe more than their houses are worth. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioHousing Snapshot: Geographical Differences in Price Changes and Negative Equity

Ted Gayer, November 29, 2011, The Brookings Institution

Housing Snapshot: Geographical Differences in Price Changes and Negative EquityTed Gayer explains the latest housing-related data reports from S&P/Case-Shiller and CoreLogic, noting that while the housing market remains weak throughout much of the country, the distribution of underwater borrowers is concentrated in relatively few states. Read More

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioAre We Fixing What Ails Housing?

Ted Gayer, October 31, 2011

Are We Fixing What Ails Housing?The Obama administration’s new plan to allow homeowners to refinance their mortgage is yet another attempt to get to the root of the housing market problems. But the new policy likely will not have much of an impact on the housing market nor the broader economy, says Ted Gayer.

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioGood News On GDP, but Too Early to Celebrate

Ted Gayer, October 28, 2011

Despite positive GDP numbers, it is difficult to feel too confident about the economy overall, given the depressed housing market and high unemployment, notes Ted Gayer.

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPlaying the HARP: A New Way Forward on Housing?

Karen Dynan, October 25, 2011, The Brookings Institution

Playing the HARP: A New Way Forward on Housing?Karen Dynan explains how the latest federal plan differs from past efforts to help homeowners whose homes are worth less than their mortgage. Dynan says the new plan reduces or removes major obstacles to acquiring new mortgage loans, but how much refinancing will occur remains unclear. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioAreas Where American Homeowners Are Underwater

Alan Berube, October 25, 2011, The Atlantic Cities

As the Obama administration prepares to implement a new plan to boost the country’s housing market, Alan Berube notes that the sector is comprised of metropolitan markets marked by varying levels of exposure to the mortgage crisis. Read More

BOOK

Save to My PortfolioThe Future of Housing Finance: Restructuring the U.S. Residential Mortgage Market

Martin Neil Baily, October 14, 2011

In The Future of Housing Finance, Martin Neil Baily and his contributors discuss the issues and options that policymakers face as they reassess the government's role in the U.S. residential mortgage market. Will Congress agree, and if so, how fast will it move? Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Suburbanization of Housing Choice Voucher Recipients

Kenya Covington, Lance Freeman and Michael Stoll, October 11, 2011, The Brookings Institution

As the demographic shift that has come to be called the suburbanization of poverty has gathered momentum, Americans who use housing choice vouchers (HCV) to help pay for their housing have increasingly moved into suburban areas to follow job opportunities. Authors of a new paper explore the housing options for suburban recipients and how well their options connect with job opportunities.

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In Brief

In the midst of a mortgage and foreclosure crisis, many families are stuck in houses that are worth less than the mortgages on them. Many others cannot find homes at an affordable price in a location accessible to work and good schools. Brookings experts examine the impact the housing crisis is having on the economy and look at innovations aimed at expanding housing choices and availability.

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John L. Thornton China CenterPolicy CenterJohn L. Thornton China Center

The John L. Thornton China Center develops analysis and policy recommendations to help address key long-term challenges, both in terms of U.S.-China relations and China's internal development.

Africa Growth InitiativeResearch ProjectAfrica Growth Initiative

The Africa Growth Initiative conducts high-quality policy research and analysis focused on attaining sustainable economic development and prosperity in Africa, while amplifying the voice of African researchers in policy-making and planning.

William G. GaleExpertWilliam G. Gale

Bill Gale, the Arjay and Frances Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy in the Economic Studies Program at Brookings, is an expert on tax policy, fiscal issues, pensions, and saving behavior. He is also co-director of the Tax Policy Center and director of the Retirement Security Project.

Budgeting for National PrioritiesResearch ProjectBudgeting for National Priorities

The Budgeting for National Priorities project promotes greater fiscal responsibility by developing new ideas, educating the public and finding common ground among experts and policy-makers.

Darrell M. WestExpertDarrell M. West

Darrell M. West is vice president and director of Governance Studies and founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings. His studies include technology policy, electronic government, and mass media.

Energy and ClimateTopicEnergy and Climate

What will it take to mitigate severe climate disruption? What should our priorities be in the relationship between fresh water and climate change? What will it take to help vulnerable countries and regions adapt to change already taking place?

Global ChangeTopicGlobal Change

How do we develop more realistic approaches and more effective means of ending intractable old conflicts and preventing new ones? How do we enhance measures to thwart nonstate actors—especially terrorists and illicit traffickers—and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons?

Growth through InnovationTopicGrowth through Innovation

What new practices and mechanisms will help prevent another economic downturn from turning into a financial panic that could become a truly global meltdown? What changes in the public and private sectors will build the workforce and infrastructure required for a global information-based economy?

Opportunity and Well-beingTopicOpportunity and Well-being

As they weather the current economic storm, will our governments and societies address the basic needs and aspirations of the least well-off? How can we better use education to raise individual aspirations? How should governments around the world accelerate preparations to provide social services for the billions moving from poverty into the middle class?

Center for Technology InnovationPolicy CenterCenter for Technology Innovation

The Center for Technology Innovation is at the forefront of shaping public debate on technology innovation and developing data-driven scholarship to enhance understanding of technology’s legal, economic, social, and governance ramifications.

Alice M. RivlinExpertAlice M. Rivlin

In February 1975, the Congressional Budget Office was established with Alice Rivlin as its first director. Rivlin is an expert on urban issues as well as fiscal, monetary and social policy and directs the Greater Washington Research project at Brookings.

Robert KaganExpertRobert Kagan

Robert Kagan is an expert and frequent commentator on Egypt, the Middle East, U.S. national security, and U.S.-European relations. He writes a monthly column on world affairs for the Washington Post and is a contributing editor at the Weekly Standard and the New Republic.

Daniel KaufmannExpertDaniel Kaufmann

Daniel Kaufmann was previously the director at the World Bank Institute, leading the work on governance and anti-corruption. His areas of expertise are public sector and regulatory reform, development, governance and anti-corruption.

Mwangi S. KimenyiExpertMwangi S. Kimenyi

Mwangi S. Kimenyi is senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative. The founding executive director of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (1999-2005), he focuses on Africa's development including institutions for economic growth, political economy, and private sector development.

Donald KohnExpertDonald Kohn

Donald Kohn is a 40-year veteran of the Federal Reserve System and served as vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2010. He was recently appointed by the government of the United Kingdom and the Bank of England to serve on its interim Financial Policy Committee. Kohn focuses on issues of monetary policy, financial regulation and macroeconomics.

Brookings Mobile ApplicationsNEW FEATUREBrookings Mobile Applications

Stay up-to-date with our independent, high-quality research, learn about Brookings events and search our directory of experts all from your BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone or Android device.

Shadi HamidExpertShadi Hamid

Shadi Hamid focuses on Islamist political parties and democratic reform in the Middle East. Prior to joining Brookings, he was Director of Research at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and a Hewlett Fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.

Katherine SierraExpertKatherine Sierra

Katherine Sierra is a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program. A former vice president for sustainable development at the World Bank, she focuses on climate change and energy.

State of Metropolitan AmericaMetropolitan Policy ProgramState of Metropolitan America

Foreshadowing 2010 Census results, this new Brookings report and interactive map defines who Americans are—and who they are becoming—in the face of continued growth, population aging and diversification, uneven educational attainment and income polarization.

Center on Children and FamiliesPolicy CenterCenter on Children and Families

The Center on Children and Families studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States.

Vanda Felbab-BrownExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is the author of Shooting Up: Counterinsurgency and the War on Drugs (Brookings Institution Press, 2009).

Isabel V. SawhillExpertIsabel V. Sawhill

A nationally known budget expert, Isabel Sawhill focuses on domestic poverty and federal fiscal policy. She is also co-director of the Center on Children and Families and the Budgeting for National Priorities Project at Brookings.

Suzanne MaloneyExpertSuzanne Maloney

Suzanne Maloney studies Iran, the political economy of the Persian Gulf and Middle East energy policy. A former U.S. State Department policy advisor, she has also counseled private companies on Middle East issues.