Across the US, communities of color are facing a “triple pandemic” due to the combined effects of systemic racism, COVID-19 and the ensuing economic downturn.
As a result of historic and present day discrimination in access to housing, resources and opportunity, households of color face a disproportionate risk of adverse health and economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Black and Hispanic households, in particular, are more likely to face pandemic-related loss of income and housing insecurity, exacerbating pre-pandemic inequities.
The Northern Virginia Eviction Prevention & Rental Assistance Dashboard shows neighborhood-level disparities in eviction filings and case outcomes in communities where the majority of the population are people of color compared with the region as a whole. These disparities predate the pandemic, underscoring the need for systems change to address the unequal burden of housing instability.
Between January – December 2019, the average number of eviction filings across all ZIP codes in the dashboard was 217.43 – about one filing for every 1,400 renter-occupied households. The average number of filings across ZIP codes where people of color represent 51% or more of the population was more than twice as high – 453.91 or about one filing for every 360 renter-occupied households. The average number of eviction judgments and default judgments across ZIP codes where the majority of residents are people of color were also more than double the average for the region as a whole in 2019.
During the pandemic, the number of eviction filings and judgments across the region has diminished due to court closures, protective measures such as the CDC eviction moratorium and emergency rental assistance. However, neighborhood-level disparities persist. Between April 2020 – June 2021, the average number of filings across all ZIP codes in the dashboard was 76.33. The average number of filings across ZIP codes where people of color represent 51% or more of the population was 156.09 – again more than twice the regional average.
Over the same period, the average number of judgments and default judgments across all ZIP codes were 24.14 and 18.16 respectively. The average number of judgments and default judgments across ZIP codes where the majority of residents are people of color were 47.09 and 35.73. This analysis does not account for the effect of confounding factors, such as median renter household income. However, a previous analysis of evictions in Richmond, Virginia by the RVA Eviction Lab found that neighborhood racial composition had a significant effect on eviction rates after controlling for income, property values and other factors.
One of the goals of the Northern Virginia Eviction Prevention & Rental Assistance Dashboard is to support targeted outreach to ensure pandemic-related resources, such as rental assistance, reach the communities most affected by housing instability. However, as the data from 2019 demonstrate, the communities most affected by housing instability during the pandemic were also most affected pre-pandemic. Emergency rental assistance is vital, but it is a short-term solution to a crisis that stems from longstanding, systemic barriers to housing stability that disproportionately impact people of color.
While continuing to pursue the equitable and timely distribution of rental assistance, local and state governments must think beyond stemming the flood of pandemic-related evictions and consider how to build stronger levees.
Sealing or expunging eviction records, particularly for cases where a judgment was not entered, could prevent future discrimination in securing new housing, perpetuating present day inequities.
Adopting a “just cause” eviction policy, like the one recently enacted in the City of Baltimore, would bolster fair housing policies by preventing discriminatory evictions and reduce the risk of displacement due to gentrification and redevelopment, which contributes to racial disparities in eviction filings and outcomes.
Inclusionary zoning and “no-net-loss” policies are also important tools to prevent displacement. Localities with these land use tools should evaluate these policies to ensure they are working as intended and offering equitable protection to all residents.
These are just a few examples of real change to eliminate barriers to housing stability, and we urge localities to consider these recommendations. The Northern Virginia Eviction Prevention & Rental Assistance Dashboard provides an evaluation tool to ensure we do not return to a pre-pandemic status quo that was unacceptable.
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