5 Conclusion Analyses of American Housing Survey data show that there has been a consistent improvement in the homeownership rate of older households and in the physical quality of the housing occupied by both older owner and older renter households. However, older renter households were more likely than older owner households to have spent an excessive amount of their income, in some cases close to half, on housing costs. Also, older renter households were more likely than older owner households to be older, have lower incomes, be single, and be members of ethnic minorities. The 1997 edition is the most recent available. Comparisons to earlier years are based on published AHS data for 1980 or 1985.
Adequate housing has none of the defects or problems included under moderate or severe inadequacy.
Monthly housing costs for owner households is the sum of monthly payments for all mortgages or installment loans or contracts, real estate taxes, property insurance, homeowners association fee, cooperative or condominium fee, mobile home park fee, land rent, utilities, fuels, and garbage and trash collection. For renter households, monthly housing costs include the contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities and fuels, property insurance, mobile home land rent, and garbage and trash collection if these items are paid for by the renter in addition to rent. Other surveys, such as the Current Population Survey, may yield different results regarding family incomes of older households. For example, the household income data collected by the AHS refer to the 12 months prior to the interview, whereas income data collected by the Current Population Survey refer to the prior calendar year. Those households reporting zero or negative incomes were not included in this calculation.