The Effects of Emergency Rental Assistance During the Pandemic: Evidence from Four Cities
Working Paper 32463
DOI 10.3386/w32463
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Short-term rental assistance programs expanded to unprecedented scale during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluate these programs using applications to five assistance programs that disbursed more than $200 million via lottery. Drawing on administrative and original survey data, we estimate effects on rent payment, housing stability, financial distress, and health. Assistance led to increases in rent payment and reduced tenants’ concerns about eviction. We also find suggestive evidence of improvements in self-reported mental and physical health. However, we find little effect on housing stability or financial distress. Relative to Economic Impact Payments, we find that ERA was well-targeted to high-poverty neighborhoods.
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Copy CitationRobert Collinson, Anthony A. DeFusco, John Eric Humphries, Benjamin J. Keys, David C. Phillips, Vincent Reina, Patrick S. Turner, and Winnie van Dijk, "The Effects of Emergency Rental Assistance During the Pandemic: Evidence from Four Cities," NBER Working Paper 32463 (2024), https://doi.org/10.3386/w32463.
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