DOI: 10.3886/icpsr39267.v1
title: New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS), 1978-2023
title: Version 1

description: The New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS) is a citywide survey designed to be representative of the NYC housing stock and community-dwelling population that is conducted about every three years by the City of New York. The NYCHVS has been conducted since 1965 and is the longest running housing survey in the country. The survey is mandated by New York State and New York City laws to measure the net rental vacancy rate and describe the supply, condition, and continued need for rent control and rent stabilization which covers half of the city's rental housing, or about 1 million apartments and 2.5 million tenants.
Detailed data from the survey cover many characteristics of the New York City housing market, including characteristics of the City's population, household, housing stock, and neighborhoods. Other data include, but is not limited to, rent regulatory and home ownership status; structural conditions; unit maintenance and neighborhood conditions; crowding, rents, utility costs, type of heating fuel, rent/income ratios; owner purchase price and estimated value, mortgage status and interest rate; number of stories and units in building, cooperative/condominium status, and wheelchair accessibility.
The data in this collection are organized by occupied units, vacant units, non-interviews, individual person records, and all housing units. Person records for each individual in occupied housing units regardless of age were added beginning in 1991. Non-interview units data are available for 1978 to 2008. Starting in 2021, datasets for all housing units were added.
description: The purpose of the study is to measure the net rental vacancy rate for New York City's rental stock, as required by law, and describe the supply, condition, and continued need for rent control and rent stabilization.
description: Sampled addresses were assigned to field researchers, who determined whether the housing unit was occupied, vacant, or out of scope (e.g., unit does not exit, is not a housing unit). If interviews could be completed, in-person interviews were conducted by field researchers with knowledgeable adult residents of occupied units, or other knowledgeable informants who could provide information on vacant units. In 2021, the mode of data collection was changed from paper-based survey to computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, options for phone interviews or conducting interviews in alternative locations were added.
description: Across all survey years, items cover the following topics: demographics, unit characteristics, housing quality, household roster, housing costs, public assistance, income, and employment.
In 1991, the questionnaire was redesigned, replacing the version used from 1975 to 1987. In addition to demographic and income item revisions, all household members were asked demographic items instead of the main respondent only. Questions on handicapped-accessibility of housing units were added in 1996. New items on household member immigration status and rental subsidies were added in 1999. New questions on health conditions and neighborhood opinion were added beginning in 2002. In 2011, new items were added on rental assistance, energy assistance, grab bars, and whether anyone in the household (aged 65 or older) experienced a fall in the past 3 months. Starting with 2021, many items were revised and new items on child care, debts, assets, mortgage information, and COVID-19 related issues were added.
The variable <strong>LINK</strong> (1978-2008) indicates whether or not cases match between survey years within the same decade. For a case to be linked, the respective housing unit had to be either occupied or vacant in one of the four surveys (but could be occupied, vacant, or non-interview in the other years).
The variables <strong>UID</strong> (1978-2017) and <strong>CONTROL</strong> (2021 onward) are unit-level identifiers. Person records can be linked to the appropriate household record using <strong>LNO</strong> (1991 onward), a line number identifier for each person in an occupied unit. Linked units from the same decade will have the same household sequence number.
<strong>Linking data across years.</strong> 1978, 1981, 1984, and 1987 data can be linked using <strong>LINK</strong>. 1991, 1993, 1996, and 1999 data can be linked using <strong>UID</strong>. 2002, 2005, and 2008 data can be linked using <strong>UID</strong>. 2011, 2014, and 2017 data cannot be linked.
description: Weight variables vary depending on the survey year. In general, household- and unit-level weights are available in the Occupied, Vacant, and All Units datasets. Person-level weights are available in Occupied (1981-1996 only) and Person Record (1996 onward) datasets.
1981 to 1996: Person-level weight is <strong>PWA</strong> from 1981 to 1987, and <strong>APW</strong> from 1991 to 1996. Household-level weight is <strong>FW</strong>.
In 1999, a new weighting methodology was developed. Caution should be used in making comparisons between 1999 and earlier surveys for total housing units and borough level and total population by age, race, and sex. Within-borough housing comparisons were not affected.
1999 to 2023: Survey weight variable <strong>FW</strong> is used to generate weighted estimates at a unit or household level. Person-level survey weight <strong>PW</strong> and aggregate persons weight <strong>APW</strong> (in Occupied datasets) are used to generate estimates at a person or population level. Replicate weights (<strong>FW1</strong> through <strong>FW80</strong>, <strong>PW1</strong> through <strong>PW80</strong>) may be used to estimate variance.
Detailed documentation on sample design, weighting, and error/variance estimation is available for the 2021 and 2023 survey years via the New York City Housing Preservation and Development (NYC HPD) research webpage.
description: Response Rates: Response rate varies depending on the year of data collection (available 1991 onward):

1991: 95 percent
1993: 98 percent
1996: 98 percent
1999: 95 percent
2002: 98 percent
2005: 96 percent
2008: 98 percent
2011: 98 percent
2014: 92 percent
2017: 81 percent
2021: 73 percent
2023: 71 percent
description: The main sample of the survey were selected every decade as a representative sample of housing units across the five New York City boroughs. Additional new units were selected in each subsequent survey year until the next census. Units were selected based on the following sources: the Census Bureau master address file from the most recent census (1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020), a sample of addresses resulting from new construction certificates of occupancy issues for each borough, a list of previously nonresidential addresses converted to residential housing units, and housing units located in structures owned by the City because the owner failed to pay taxes on the property.
Sample sizes vary based on the decade of data collection and are listed here as approximate values:

1978: 14,400 units
1981: 16,300 units
1984: 16,500 units
1987: 17,000 units
1991, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2005: 18,000 units
2008: 21,000 units
2011, 2014, 2017: 19,000 units
2021: 12,000 units
2023: 15,600 units
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: 1978 Occupied Units Data
DS2: 1978 Vacant Units Data
DS3: 1978 Non-Interview Units Data
DS4: 1981 Occupied Units Data
DS5: 1981 Vacant Units Data
DS6: 1981 Non-Interview Units Data
DS7: 1984 Occupied Units Data
DS8: 1984 Vacant Units Data
DS9: 1984 Non-Interview Units Data
DS10: 1987 Occupied Units Data
DS11: 1987 Vacant Units Data
DS12: 1987 Non-Interview Units Data
DS13: 1991 Person Record Data
DS14: 1991 Occupied Units Data
DS15: 1991 Vacant Units Data
DS16: 1991 Non-Interview Units Data
DS17: 1993 Person Record Data
DS18: 1993 Occupied Units Data
DS19: 1993 Vacant Units Data
DS20: 1993 Non-Interview Units Data
DS21: 1996 Person Record Data
DS22: 1996 Occupied Units Data
DS23: 1996 Vacant Units Data
DS24: 1996 Non-Interview Units Data
DS25: 1999 Person Record Data
DS26: 1999 Occupied Units Data
DS27: 1999 Vacant Units Data
DS28: 1999 Non-Interview Units Data
DS29: 2002 Person Record Data
DS30: 2002 Occupied Units Data
DS31: 2002 Vacant Units Data
DS32: 2002 Non-Interview Units Data
DS33: 2005 Person Record Data
DS34: 2005 Occupied Units Data
DS35: 2005 Vacant Units Data
DS36: 2005 Non-Interview Units Data
DS37: 2008 Person Record Data
DS38: 2008 Occupied Units Data
DS39: 2008 Vacant Units Data
DS40: 2008 Non-Interview Units Data
DS41: 2011 Person Record Data
DS42: 2011 Occupied Units Data
DS43: 2011 Vacant Units Data
DS44: 2014 Person Record Data
DS45: 2014 Occupied Units Data
DS46: 2014 Vacant Units Data
DS47: 2017 Person Record Data
DS48: 2017 Occupied Units Data
DS49: 2017 Vacant Units Data
DS50: 2021 Person Record Data
DS51: 2021 All Units Data
DS52: 2021 Occupied Units Data
DS53: 2021 Vacant Units Data
DS54: 2023 Person Record Data
DS55: 2023 All Units Data
DS56: 2023 Occupied Units Data
DS57: 2023 Vacant Units Data
description: Housing units in New York City, including occupied and vacant units.
Residents of occupied units or, in case of vacant units, knowledgeable informants (e.g., building managers, superintendents, rental or real estate agents).
. Smallest Geographic Unit: Sub-borough
description: computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI); paper and pencil interview (PAPI); on-site questionnaireFor additional details on the New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS), please visit the NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Research webpage, which contains links to questionnaires, user guides, and weighting information for the 2021 and 2023 surveys.