The high cost of housing increases American renters’ risk of death, a study published by the Social Science and Medicine Journal recently found. This study measures baseline rent burden’s shift from 2000 Census Data, and 38 million eviction records to analyze rent burden changes amongst older demographics before correlating it with mortality eviction data. The results found that rent burdens more than 30% of the threshold of defined “rent burdened,” associated with increased mortality.
Eviction filings and eviction judgments were associated with 19% and 40% increases in mortality risk. Baseline rent burdens of 70% were associated with a 12% increase in mortality. Moreover, research broadly finds disruptive events from rising rents usually affect people of color and Black renters disproportionately. The author finally suggests an increase in the supply of affordable housing via rental vouchers, small-dollar mortgages, and legal aid.