Seoul Hope Plus Savings Accounts: Asset-Building Program for Low-Income Households in Seoul

Despite increased interest in asset-building programs, we know little about their effects on participants and their families due to limited empirical evidence. To fill gaps in current knowledge, this study evaluates the Hope Accounts program in the Seoul metropolitan area. This report presents the results of the first multi-method study of Hope Accounts conducted by a research team of scholars from SWF and Center for Social Development (CSD). The Hope Accounts report consists of three parts. First, we provide a brief description of asset-building programs implemented by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Second, we report findings from a qualitative study. Third, we present analysis results from the baseline survey with a sample of the third-cohort participants (treatment group) and a sample of low-income residents from the Seoul metropolitan area (comparison group). Results of this study will guide future development of asset-building programs and policies in Korea.

Project: Evaluation of Hope Plus Account Program