Housing Matters: Legal and Policy Approaches to Preventing Housing Instability

Eviction has damaging health consequences that can last lifetimes, or even generations. Families grappling with housing uncertainty experience physical and mental health challenges, from elevated rates of childhood and chronic disease and mortality, to stress, depression, anxiety and suicide. Those who lack stable housing are more likely to experience homelessness, unemployment, substance use, food insecurity and interpersonal violence. Housing instability makes it difficult for residents to invest in their homes, relationships and neighborhoods; and where health-supportive connections have already been made, eviction can disrupt the fabric of entire communities. Nationwide, Black and Hispanic renters in general, and women in particular, are disproportionately threatened with eviction and disproportionately evicted from their homes. Attend this session to learn about state and local legal approaches to preventing eviction and its devastating public health consequences.