Prioritizing emergency rental assistance Apri 2021

As eviction moratoriums end and states and localities allocate emergency rental assistance funds to help renters avoid losing their homes, local leaders must decide where to prioritize their resources. The Emergency Rental Assistance Prioritization tool developed by Urban Institute researchers uses the latest data to help state and local leaders ensure that rental assistance is distributed equitably and efficiently. Search for your county or Continuum of Care geography for insights that can be combined with local knowledge to see which neighborhoods could be prioritized for emergency rental assistance:

 

 

As you will see, the Emergency Rental Assistance Priority Index estimates the level of need in a census tract by measuring the prevalence of low-income renters who are at risk of experiencing housing instability and homelessness. The index emphasizes an equitable approach, accounting for risk factors that are higher for certain groups, particularly Black, Indigenous, and Latinx renters, who have been historically and systematically excluded from housing and economic opportunities and face greater health and economic impacts from COVID-19. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions about the tool or if you’d like to discuss ways to prioritize rental assistance in your community. You can reach me at aelsbree@urban.org.

 

Amy Elsbree Senior Director of External Affairs 202-261-5513 aelsbree@urban.org @aelsbree U R B A N   I N S T I T U T E www.urban.org

 

Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization that believes in the power of evidence to improve people’s lives. Urban as an organization does not take policy positions but Urban’s independent experts are empowered to make recommendations based on their research. .