Another Immigrant Paradox? Exploring Housing Hardship among Native Born and Immigrant Low-income Families

• In Event: 127 - Section on Inequality, Poverty and Mobility Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Paper Session: Table 10. Housing and Inequality

Abstract

The cost for rent and utility bills account for the largest share of living expenses, yet “rent burden” and “energy insecurity,” have seldom been examined concurrently in population-based studies. This paper addresses this gap by examining these two critical dimensions of family economic hardship. This paper presents multivariate statistical analysis using American Community Survey data to demonstrate the probability of rental households experiencing rent burden, energy insecurity and a double burden. Findings suggest that low income households are more likely to experience these economic hardships in general but specific groups are disproportionately burdened in different ways. For instance, whereas immigrants are more likely to experience rental burden, they are less likely to experience energy insecurity and are also spared from the double burden. In contrast, native-born African Americans are more likely than all other groups to experience the double burden. These results may be driven by the housing stock available to certain groups due to racial residential segregation as well as decisions regarding the quality of housing low-income householders can (or choose to) afford as well as home country values and practices centered on energy conservation and modest living among immigrant families. From a poverty and public health perspective, the analysis offered in this paper is of critical importance as it advances our current understanding of material hardship and hidden health risks rooted in the fundamental causes of diseases. This paper also points to important policy gaps in safety net benefits related to housing and energy targeting low-income families.

Authors

• Diana Hernandez, Columbia University

• Yumiko Aratani, Columbia University