Losing Your Home Is Bad for Your Health: Short- and Medium-Term Health Effects of Eviction on Young Adults

Abstract

U.S. cities are increasingly adopting antieviction policies predicated on the belief that evictions have negative consequences for families and communities. Yet the nature and duration of many of these consequences are relatively unknown. We add to the literature on the consequences of evictions by assessing the enduring effects of eviction on the self-reported health of young adults. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we find evictions have both short-term (12 months) and medium-term (7-8 years) negative impacts on multiple measures of health. Individuals who experience an eviction are more likely to report being in poor general health or experiencing mental health concerns, even many years after an eviction. As state and local governments develop policies to reduce evictions, it is worth noting that any resulting decrease in evictions may have a positive impact on population health, making health professionals effective potential policymaking partners.

The effect of eviction moratoria on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2

“…We have not considered the effects of foreclosures and other financial impacts of the epidemic which will likely also lead to doubling up and potentially homelessness. There are likely more complicated interactions between COVID-19 and housing instability that we have not modeled, such as the possibility that COVID-19 infection could precipitate housing loss 55 , that eviction itself is associated with worsening health 70,71 , or that health disparities could make clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection more severe among individuals facing eviction or experiencing homelessness 57,72,73 . Finally, we note that our model is not meant to be a forecast of the future course of the epidemic, nor the political and individual measures that might be adopted to contain it.…”

The effect of eviction moratoria on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2

“…We have not considered the effects of foreclosures and other financial impacts of the epidemic which will likely also lead to doubling up and potentially homelessness. There are likely more complicated interactions between COVID-19 and housing instability that we have not modeled, such as the possibility that COVID-19 infection could precipitate housing loss [54], that eviction itself is associated with worsening health [69,70], or that health disparities could make clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection more severe among individuals facing eviction or experiencing homelessness [56,71,72]. Finally we note that our model is not meant to be a forecast of the future course of the epidemic, nor the political and individual measures that might be adopted to contain it.…”

The Impact of U.S. Housing Type and Residential Living Situations on Mental Health during COVID-19

“…[19] found evidence of mental health situations during normal eviction situations before COVID-19. These mental health issues can be more pronounced for children, even several years after the eviction event [20]. Household financial crises which are not tied to evictions have also been proven to cause psychological distress [21,22].…”