Rental assistance improves food security and nutrition: An analysis of National Survey Data

The U.S. is experiencing a severe housing affordability crisis, resulting in households having to make difficult trade-offs between paying for a place to live and basic health necessities such as food. Rental assistance may mitigate these strains, improving food security and nutrition. However, only one in five eligible individuals receive assistance, with an average wait time of two years. Existing waitlists create a comparable control group, allowing us to examine the causal impact of improved housing access on health and well-being. This national quasi-experimental study utilizes linked NHANES-HUD data (1999-2016) to investigate the impacts of rental assistance on food security and nutrition using cross-sectional regression. Tenants with project-based assistance were less likely to experience food insecurity (B =-0.18, p = 0.02) and rent-assisted individuals consumed 0.23 more cups of daily fruits and vegetables compared the pseudo-waitlist group. These findings suggest that the current unmet need for rental assistance and resulting long waitlists have adverse health implications, including decreased food security and fruit and vegetable consumption.

Automated summary

The United States is facing a severe crisis in housing affordability, leading to difficult trade-offs between housing and basic health necessities like food. Rental assistance could help alleviate these strains and improve food security and nutrition. However, only a small fraction of eligible individuals receive assistance, with long waiting times. Through a national quasi-experimental study using linked NHANES-HUD data, it was found that rental assistance reduces food insecurity and increases fruit and vegetable consumption. This highlights the adverse health implications of the current unmet need for rental assistance and long waitlists.