“I Have Nowhere to Go”: An Examination of Post-Eviction Housing Outcomes of Evicted Tenants
Given the extent of the eviction crisis in Oregon, it is crucial to investigate what happens to tenants after they are displaced from their homes. This report investigates three main questions concerning tenants’ post-eviction housing outcomes: Where do tenants live after they have been evicted? How do post-eviction housing outcomes affect tenants’ health, finances, and safety? How do rental assistance and legal assistance affect post-eviction housing outcomes? To answer these research questions, we draw on data from focus groups with 121 Oregon tenants who had an eviction case filed against them, received an eviction notice, or were told to leave by their landlord.
Key Findings
Nearly two thirds of evicted tenants moved directly into some form of homelessness, including sheltered, unsheltered, or doubled-up homelessness. These findings indicate that Oregon’s eviction crisis and homelessness crisis are closely linked.
Tenants who moved into homelessness–including doubled-up homelessness– faced a range of adverse impacts on their health, finances, and safety. Those who moved into unsheltered homelessness faced the most severe impacts on their health and safety. However, tenants who entered sheltered or doubled-up homelessness also reported significant challenges. This included navigating strict rules, living in precarious and uncomfortable living arrangements, and relocating far away from places of employment or education.
Tenants who received rental assistance or legal assistance were less likely to be evicted and less likely to become homeless. Providing these services to tenants early in the eviction process can serve as a crucial upstream intervention for tenants at risk of being displaced from their home.
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.
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