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Abstract
Homeowners are significantly more prepared for disasters than renters. However, disaster preparedness among subsidized renters is an understudied topic despite their increased vulnerability to negative disaster outcomes. Previous research shows that one in three subsidized units is at risk for exposure to disasters, relative to one in four unsubsidized rental units and one in seven owner-occupied units. Subsidized housing residents often fall into many vulnerable statuses that would make them less prepared than renters and owners. Using 2017 American Housing Survey data, we examine differences in household disaster preparedness by housing tenure, with and without controls for such factors. Logistic regression analyses indicate that subsidized renters are significantly less prepared than unsubsidized renters, and both renter types are significantly less prepared than homeowners, controlling for demographic and neighborhood characteristics. The policy implications of this research are considered as they relate to the location and management of subsidized housing in an era of climate change.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 In reviewing the literature, we discuss the type of subsidized housing unit(s) that is the focus in each study. In developing our hypotheses, we extrapolate findings about specific types of subsidized housing to the larger group of subsidized housing units.
2 Wealth also grants initial access to homeownership and is likely correlated with preparedness. However, we cannot account for this relationship because the AHS 2017 data do not include data on wealth.
3 The definition of subsidized housing from the AHS documentation does not explicitly state whether LIHTC projects are included in these housing units; it is likely that only LIHTC residents with a voucher would be captured by the HUDSUB variable (HUD and U.S. Census Bureau, Citation2017).
4 Certain immigrant groups may access HUD supported housing programs, but this access is quite restricted. These groups include permanent residents; noncitizens who entered the United States before 1972 and have maintained continuous residence in the United States; and noncitizens who are lawfully present in the United States at the discretion of the Attorney General or have been granted amnesty (HUD, Citation1995). Because of the significant restrictions on which immigrants have access to subsidized housing, it is not surprising that we find that the share of subsidized renters that are foreign born is significantly less than the share of unsubsidized renters.
5 In supplemental analyses, we interacted the housing tenure dummy variables with poverty status, making subsidized renters the reference group. None of the coefficients for the interaction terms are statistically significant. We also interacted the housing tenure dummy variables with income. Again, none of the coefficients for the interaction terms are statistically significant.
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Sarah McCarthy
Sarah McCarthy is a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology at the University at Albany, SUNY. She is serving as the 2023–2024 Student Representative for the American Sociological Association’s Section on Community and Urban Sociology. Her research focuses on housing and place-based disparities related to disasters, health, and mobility.
Samantha Friedman
Samantha Friedman is Professor and Internship Director of Sociology and Director of the Center for Social and Demographic Analysis at the University at Albany, SUNY. Her research focuses on racial and ethnic segregation, disaster preparedness among vulnerable populations, climate change and health, and redlining and older adults’ health.