Join Us
Publications
Low-Income New Yorkers Are an Inch Away from Eviction: How to Address Rent Debt and Eviction Pressure to Keep Them Housed
Oksana Mironova, Samuel Stein
Summary:
Many New Yorkers are still facing deep housing hardships, even as parts of the economy show signs of recovery. The federal and state eviction moratoria and direct pandemic relief helped hold back a sharp increase evictions and homelessness. However, rents continued to increase for low-income New Yorkers, who bore the brunt of pandemic-related economic losses: according to our 2021 Unheard Third survey, 41 percent of low-income respondents lost employment income in their household during the pandemic, compared to 29 percent of those with moderate to higher incomes.
In this brief, we focus on New Yorkers who have fallen behind on rent and are at risk of eviction when the state’s moratorium expires on January 15, 2022. The brief includes new findings from our 2021 Unheard Third survey, which shows that an alarming number of tenants–many of whom are people of color–are at risk of eviction, homelessness, and broad housing and economic insecurity. It is critical that the city and state governments take bold and immediate action to secure tenants’ rights and to provide direct relief.
Issues: Affordable Housing, The Unheard Third
Download PDF
