The Geography of Renter Financial Distress and Housing Insecurity During the Pandemic
January 25, 2023 by The report evaluates the financial distress and housing insecurity faced by renters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, the study found that 23% of renters lost employment income and 15% fell behind on rent between April 2021 and February 2022. Financial distress was particularly concentrated in communities of color, high-poverty, lower-income, and lower-rent neighborhoods. More than three-fifths of renters behind on rent lived in communities of color, and about two-fifths lived in high-poverty or lower-income neighborhoods. The report also highlights that Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs reached neighborhoods with the greatest need, despite other challenges. The findings underscore the need for targeted policies to address the geographic concentration of renter financial distress and support the most affected communities.