Fight, Flight, Freeze 2: An Update on Tenants’ Responses to Eviction Across Urban and Rural Oregon (2025)

In the original "Fight, Flight, Freeze" (FFF) report, the Evicted in Oregon researchers reported on the experiences of tenants who faced eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic and their access to resources. The current memo provides an updated analysis, now including 121 tenants with eviction experiences in Oregon. The analysis includes13 new focus groups with tenants in both rural and urban Oregon, focusing on the type of support they received while navigating eviction. These groups represent tenants from diverse backgrounds. Additional details on the years and locations of the focus groups are  available in the Methods section of the Appendix.

Using the fight-flight-freeze framework, we examined tenants' reactions to eviction. We also report the resources they accessed after being threatened with eviction and describe the broader effects of eviction, including impacts on  health and family stability. 

Our findings highlight three outcomes and impacts tenants experience when navigating the threat of eviction: 

• Tenants who received formal support were able to remain housed after facing the threat of eviction.

• Tenants mainly relied on friends and family for temporary housing.

• Tenants encounter housing, health, and financial hardships during and after eviction.

These findings align with the first Fight, Flight, Freeze report, reinforcing that formal support is crucial for keeping tenants housed and that additional services are necessary to assist tenants through eviction. We conclude by outlining recommendations to prevent eviction and support tenants in the eviction process.

General Information

Researchers: Dr. Alex Farrington, Dr. Natalie J. Cholula, and Dr. Lisa K. Bates

Funding: Evicted in Oregon’s research is supported by Oregon Housing and Community Services Department, Portland Housing Bureau, and the technical assistance of Oregon Law Center. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of funders or technical assistance partners.

Citation Details: Cholula, Natalie J.; Bates, Lisa K.; Farrington, Alex; Zapata, Marisa; Greene, Jacen; and Carroll, Colleen, "Fight, Flight, Freeze 2: An Update on Tenants’ Responses to Eviction Across Urban and Rural Oregon" (2025). https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44239