The United States is facing an affordable housing crisis. Although the past decade has seen a growth in the number of renters in the United States, this growth has been marked by persistent affordability challenges. Rents have dramatically outpaced wage increases, leading to more and more cost-burdened households. And, most recently, COVID-19 has exposed the limited legal protections available for renters.
In this episode, host Matthew Martinez Hannon interviews ABF Research Professor Anna Reosti about her sociolegal research examining the consequences of modern background screening practices for rental housing access. Then, Matthew is joined by Jennifer Litwak, Executive Director of Housing on Merit, a nonprofit organization with the mission to create a bridge to permanent affordable housing for vulnerable populations. Both Anna and Jennifer speak about what access to affordable housing looks like across the country, the regulatory framework facing low-income renters, and how the pandemic is impacting the way people rent.
Read the full episode transcription
Additional Resources
- Read “The Costs of Seeking Shelter for Renters With Discrediting Background Records” by Anna Reosti
- Visit Housing On Merit at housingonmerit.org
- Visit the Housing Innovation Collaborative: housinginnovation.co
Note: The American Bar Foundation is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit research institute. Any of the viewpoints expressed during the podcasts are those of the guests, not the ABF.