Author: Alvaro Cortes

Year of DDRG Award: 2000

Grantee University: Wayne State University

Dissertation Title: The Impact of Urban Universities on Neighborhood Housing Markets: University Decisions and Non-Decisions

Current Employment: Associate at Abt Associates, Inc. and on Board of Directors for Jobs For Homeless People, Inc.

Research Subject Areas: Homelessness, Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers, Homeownership, Outcome Evaluations, Performance Measurement

Biography:
Alvaro Cortes is a senior associate at Abt Associates. During this 9 year tenure with Abt, Dr. Cortes has focused on homelessness, homeownership, community development and poverty-related policy issues. Dr. Cortes has directed the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) project for several years. The AHAR is a report to the U.S. Congress on the extent and nature of homelessness in America. It provides an enumeration of homeless persons nationwide, a descriptive profile of sheltered homeless persons, and an analysis of service use patterns. He is also leading the Homelessness Pulse Project for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Pulse Project collects data on sheltered homeless persons on a quarterly basis from a sample of communities nationwide to gauge the impact of the economic crisis on homelessness. Dr. Cortes is also involved in several national longitudinal outcome studies, including the national evaluations of the Transitional Living Program for homeless youth, and an evaluation of HUD's housing counseling agencies. Dr. Cortes received his Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

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