# Evaluating the Impact of Low-income Housing Tax Credits on child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, and opioid overdose

> **NIH ALLCDC R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $348,042

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a critical public health issue in the United States. Three ACEs in
particular, child abuse and neglect, exposure to intimate partner violence, and parental opioid overdose, are
prevalent and associated with poor behavioral and health outcomes across the life course. A key risk factor for
ACEs, parental stress, is often the result of economic pressure and material hardship, such as housing
instability. In fact, previous research demonstrates that housing insufficiency is associated with child abuse and
neglect, intimate partner violence, and opioid overdose. Therefore, it is possible that a program designed to
increase availability of affordable housing, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, will
reduce the occurrence of these three ACEs. We will test this hypothesis through a series of generalized linear
mixed model analyses to examine the impact of LIHTC unit availability on child abuse and neglect, intimate
partner violence, and opioid overdose (Aim 1). By examining specific facets of program implementation, we
will identify core components of the program that increase impact (Aim 2). We will also determine if eviction
rates modify the relationship between availability of LIHTC units and child abuse and neglect, intimate partner
violence, and opioid overdose (Aim 3). Understanding the impact of the LIHTC program on child abuse and
neglect, intimate partner violence, and opioid overdose will inform policy and programmatic primary prevention
strategies. As the proposed research examines the effectiveness of an economic strategy, the LIHTC program,
to prevent multiple forms of violence and other ACEs that impact children, this research addresses the first
primary objective/ outcome indicated in the request for proposals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10022292
- **Project number:** 5R01CE003118-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Meghan Shanahan
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $348,042
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2022-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10022292

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10022292, Evaluating the Impact of Low-income Housing Tax Credits on child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, and opioid overdose (5R01CE003118-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10022292. Licensed CC0.

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