MAY 2021
2020-2021 State of Metropolitan Housing ReportThe 2020-2021 State of Metropolitan Housing report details how COVID-19 has exacerbated housing insecurity and long standing racial and ethnic disparities in our community. Despite the various eviction moratoria, we continue to see families struggle to stay safe after losing their housing. Sometimes these families are forced into congregate living environments such as emergency shelters. Other times, they turn to families and friends, doubling or tripling up in overcrowded living situations, increasing their potential exposure to COVID-19. Now, new research finds that policies that limit evictions reduce COVID-19 infections by 3.8% and reduce deaths by 11%. Had such policies been in place consistently across the country since early March 2020, COVID-19 infections would have been reduced by 14.2% and deaths by 40.7%. In an effort to keep people safely housed during the ongoing pandemic-related economic downturn, we are seeing unprecedented funding come into the city. It will be critical that the community think strategically about how to use the wide range of new and existing federal funding sources to prevent increases in homelessness, increase housing stability, and meet public health goals. Reducing ongoing racial and ethnic disparities in economic, social, and health outcomes requires that this strategy be firmly rooted in a racial justice and equity framework.