Racial/Ethnic Differences in Housing Insecurity: Evidence from the Household Pulse Survey, 2021–2022

Abstract

The growing body of research of the eviction process and forced moves in general is mixed regarding racial/ethnic differences, likely resulting from focusing on past experiences with eviction, potential sampling undercoverage, and no controls for housing arrears. Our paper builds on this research and examines racial/ethnic disparities in housing insecurity—time spent in rent arrears and perceived likelihood of expulsion—using data on renters from the Household Pulse Survey. Our multivariate analyses show that blacks are significantly more likely than whites to spend a longer time being behind on rent and to expect an expulsion from their housing units, controlling for other factors. Compared to other nonwhite groups, blacks fare the worst in terms of their housing insecurity, relative to whites. Our results reveal that for blacks, long-term housing insecurity likely stems from the persistence of discriminatory housing market processes.

Keywords:

• Race/ethnicity
• housing instability
• rental housing arrears
• eviction likelihood
• U.S

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 As an indicator of serial filing, duration of arrears is distinct from our other outcome, eviction expectations. As discussed below, the wording of the question measuring eviction expectations measures expectations for removal from one’s home because of eviction rather than being filed against. To retain this distinction we refer to our expectations variable as referring to expulsion rather than eviction.

2 Those of “other” race consist of respondents reporting a single race other than the ones delineated, along with those reporting more than one race.

3 We include age and age-squared in addition to retirement status because housing instability is likely to get worse at older ages, following several years of being on a fixed income. Retirement status, alone, will not capture that nuanced relationship between older ages and housing instability.

4 The HPS contains no specific question about housing subsidies. There is one question that asks households the following question—“Thinking about your experience in the last 7 days, which of the following did you or your household members use to meet your spending needs? Select all that apply.” One of the responses is “government rental assistance.” We include that in a larger category of “governmental assistance,” combining it with other responses including unemployment insurance, SNAP, and WIC. Because it is unclear whether the government rental assistance is in the form of vouchers, residence in public housing, or some other form of assistance, it is not suitable to measure receipt of rental assistance accurately.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emily Rosenbaum

Emily Rosenbaum is Professor of Sociology at Fordham University, Bronx, New York. Her research focuses on housing disparities and the association between housing and health.

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; eviction disparities; historical redlining and later-life mortality; and climate change and health.