“I Hate the Waiting. I’ve Been Un-Patient." Exploring the Psychological Burden of Waiting for Rental Assistance.

• In Event: Exploring the lifecycle of housing assistance’s economic and health impacts, from application to long-term follow-up

Abstract

An extreme shortage of affordable housing in the United States has led to a rise in cost-burdened households and widespread housing insecurity. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers subsidies through three primary programs: Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing, and project-based housing. However, limited funding for these programs constrains their supply, resulting in extensive waitlists. While housing insecurity is well-established as a driver of poor health, the mental health consequences of waiting for rental assistance remain understudied. This paper draws on qualitative data from a longitudinal mixed-methods study examining the effects of rental assistance on diabetes self-management. Through thematic analysis of 116 semi-structured interviews, we identify how uncertainty, bureaucratic opacity, and a perceived lack of control render waiting itself as a source of chronic stress. Applicants described how ambiguity surrounding their waitlist status undermined self-efficacy, strained emotional and material resources, and compounded the challenges of managing a chronic health condition. We found that the experience of waiting, shaped by how rental assistance programs are structured and administered, can exacerbate housing insecurity and undermine health. Recognizing waiting as a challenging and disempowering process reveals how housing policy can contribute to health inequities.  Our findings underscore the need for reforms that treat time, transparency, and access as matters of health justice.

Author

• Penelope A Schlesinger, Yale University
  Presenting Author