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| Document Type: | General |
| Publish Date: | 7-Aug-20 |
| Primary Author: | Emily Benfer, Wake Forest University School of Law David Bloom Robinson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Stacy Butler, Innovation for Justice Program, University of Arizona College of Law Lavar Edmonds, The Eviction Lab at Princeton University Sam Gilman, The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project Katherine Lucas McKay, The Aspen Institute Zach Neumann, The Aspen Institute / The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project Lisa Owens, City Life/Vida Urbana Neil Steinkamp, Stout Diane Yentel, National Low Income Housing Coalition |
| Edited By: | Tabassum Rahmani |
| Published By: | “Emily Benfer, Wake Forest University School of Law David Bloom Robinson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Stacy Butler, Innovation for Justice Program, University of Arizona College of Law Lavar Edmonds, The Eviction Lab at Princeton University Sam Gilman, The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project Katherine Lucas McKay, The Aspen Institute Zach Neumann, The Aspen Institute / The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project Lisa Owens, City Life/Vida Urbana Neil Steinkamp, Stout Diane Yentel, National Low Income Housing Coalition” |
According to a report dated August 2020, the United States may be facing the most severe housing crisis in its history. According to the latest analysis of weekly U.S. Census data, as federal, state and local protections and resources expire and in the absence of robust and swift intervention, an estimated 30–40 million people in America could be at risk of eviction in the next several months. Many property owners, who lack the credit or financial ability to cover rental payment arrears, will struggle to pay their mortgages and property taxes, and maintain properties. The COVID-19 housing crisis has sharply increased the risk of foreclosure and bankruptcy, especially among small property owners; long-term harm to renter families and individuals; disruption of the affordable housing market; and destabilization of communities across the United States.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers, academics and advocates have conducted continuous analysis of the effect of the public health crisis and economic depression on renters and the housing market. Multiple studies have quantified the effect of COVID-19-related job loss and economic hardship on renters’ ability to pay rent during the pandemic. While methodologies differ, these analyses converge on a dire prediction: If conditions do not change, 29-43% of renter households could be at risk of eviction by the end of the year. This article aggregates the existing research related to the COVID-19 housing crisis, including estimated potential upcoming eviction filings, unemployment data, and housing insecurity predictions. In addition, based on this research and new weekly analysis of real time U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse data, this article frames the growing potential for widespread displacement and homelessness across the United States.