Housing Characteristics over Time: Identifying Patterns for Low-Income Families

ABSTRACTThis study assessed how household size, housing quality, housing cost burden, years at residence, receipt of housing assistance, and neighborhood disorder shifted together over a 6-year span in a sample of low-income families from three cities (N = 2,228). Most housing characteristics were stable over time, but housing problems and neighborhood disorder increased. Models comparing results for Hispanic and African American families identified greater receipt of housing assistance and lower housing cost burden among Hispanics. Results are discussed in terms of future research to support low-income families’ housing profiles.