How House Stability Affects Job Security in Low-Income Workers

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Losing your home is devastating, it can feel like your whole world has come crumbling down but, what’s more, you find yourself at risk of losing your job too. For many low-income workers, housing stability impacts their ability to stay employed. This post explores how losing stable housing can lead to job loss, making life even harder for vulnerable workers and making it more difficult to escape from poverty.

A Harvard study, done by Matthew Desmond and Carl Gershenson “Housing and Employment Insecurity among the Working Poor,” highlights a link between housing insecurity and job loss. Their research reveals how forced moves, like evictions or foreclosures, can disrupt a person's life to the point where maintaining consistent employment becomes difficult. This connection between housing and employment stability creates a cycle that makes it even harder for low-income workers to achieve financial security and stability. 

Life for many is a balancing act between job stability and house security, but both are becoming increasingly fragile. Matthew Desmond and Carl Gershenson describe this phenomenon as "double precarity", where workers not only struggle with unstable, low-paying jobs but also face rising housing costs and limited tenant protections. In today's economy, many workers find themselves in jobs that are low-paying and insecure. At the same time, the housing market has become increasingly unaffordable, with rents rising much faster than wages. This is particularly challenging for workers who have job insecurity and don't have access to paid leave or flexible scheduling. As a result, any disruption can lead to job loss.

Their study shows that workers who experienced forced moves are between 11 and 22 percentage points more likely to be laid off than those with stable housing. This statistic highlights the connections between housing and employment for low-income individuals. These challenges compound overtime, as forced moves lead workers to miss shifts or increase tardiness. 

This vicious cycle of housing instability and job loss has to break. Many of our workers are losing their homes and their ability to stay employed is impacted. Breaking this cycle requires us to address both housing and job insecurity. Policies that provide stronger tenant protections, expand access to affordable housing, and support low-income workers with job security and paid leave are important to helping those at risk. Programs like rental assistance and eviction prevention can also give workers the stability that they need to maintain their employment during difficult times.

Lastly, for anyone who has or knows someone who has been impacted by eviction, foreclosure, or any other housing barriers, the Rent Well program is an excellent place to start. This course is designed for individuals who have faced challenges such as gaps in rental history, evictions, or poor credit. It educates renters about their rights and responsibilities. I'll be attaching the link below for more information but, just know that you're not alone and that there are resources out there that can help you or your loved ones.

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/mdesmond/files/desmondgershenson.sp2016.pdf - Harvard study

https://rentwell.org/

Attention: The Portland State University senior capstone for multimedia would love to hear from you. If you have the time, please click here to fill out a survey about your experience with housing.

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