Eviction Hurts Kids: Housing Loss Linked to Increased Mental Illness in Children
A new study shows that the stress of eviction and housing loss significantly increases rates of depression and anxiety in children—especially younger kids—making eviction prevention a critical public health strategy.
Research Shows the Threat of Housing Loss Leads to Anxiety and Depression in Kids, Making Eviction a Public Health Emergency
Eviction and housing loss are among the most traumatic experiences a person can endure. Shelter is a fundamental human need—without it, safety, health, and stability are at risk. The sudden threat of eviction brings intense stress and uncertainty. Now imagine what that experience feels like through the eyes of a child whose family is facing the loss of their home.
“We knew that eviction or housing loss can impact the adults, but we didn’t know as much about what happens to kids in families facing eviction or housing loss,” said Jamie Hanson, Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.
Stress Transfers: When Parents Worry, Kids Suffer Too
In a new study with data from over 36,000 families, Hanson discovered that a parent’s anxiety or stress about eviction, foreclosure, or housing loss was related to mental health issues in their kids. A stressed caregiver, worried over threats of eviction and housing loss, was associated with depression and anxiety disorders in their children. When a caregiver is extremely stressed, a significant increase in depression was found in the child, between 10% and 35%.
Most startling was the high rates of depression found in young children, those younger than 8 or 9 years old.
“Those younger kids are much more dependent on their parents,” Hanson told Invisible People. “We have found many kids are very aware of their families’ financial circumstances. We interviewed youth in some different projects and often found kids in middle school (12-13 years of age) had deep knowledge about their family’s bills and if utilities were going to get turned off,” Hanson continued.
More Than Housing: What Families Lose in Eviction
Hanson points out that eviction or foreclosures can have profound psychological consequences. It’s not just the loss of housing. With it, families can lose social and community support when they move elsewhere. Families can feel shame, which can also be alienating. Furthermore, there are often obstacles to finding a new place to live.
“An eviction or foreclosure is almost like a ‘scarlet letter’ as it often stays on your record for many years.” These traumatic events not only harm families, but they follow them, too, years later.
Eviction is a public health crisis, but Hanson points out that there are reasonable ways to support families facing eviction – such as housing assistance and sealed eviction proceedings.
Preventing eviction from taking place can have a significant impact on the future health of a family. We know that homelessness is a public health crisis, and to prevent it can actually save lives.
The Long-Term Health Consequences of Homelessness
Invisible People writer Invisible Loki often sheds light on the deep and lasting impact homelessness and chronic housing instability have on a person’s health. As Hanson’s study referenced above confirms, the ongoing stress of not having stable housing takes a serious toll on mental well-being. But the consequences extend even further. Homelessness is deadly. Unhoused individuals die decades earlier than their housed peers, with an average life expectancy of just 47 years. The leading cause of death among homeless individuals is heart attack—closely followed by suicide.
Even if a homeless person or family escapes homelessness, long-term physical and mental issues often remain.
In another article, writer Cynthia Griffith highlights the heightened risk unhoused individuals and their families face when it comes to both physical and mental health. Without stable housing, they are more likely to experience delayed diagnoses of serious illnesses like cancer or diabetes. They are at increased risk for respiratory issues, malnutrition, infectious diseases such as hepatitis and COVID-19, as well as untreated wounds and chronic flu. Mental health challenges are also common, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem—all compounded by the daily stress of survival.
Why Prevention Matters: Protecting Families Before They Fall
Eviction prevention can save lives. It can change lives. It can impact the future of so many families and the children that belong to those families.
Low-income families and children in America already face so many economic challenges, including food insecurity, access to quality and affordable healthcare, and educational opportunities. While these families already struggle to make ends meet, let’s not add housing loss and eviction to their plates, further compounding those challenges.
If we’re serious about reversing the harmful impacts of poverty, one of the most essential first steps is keeping families—especially those with children—housed. That means putting the brakes on eviction and investing in proven homelessness prevention strategies. We must prioritize the development of public and affordable housing and ensure that low-income families have their basic needs met, including access to safe, stable, and lasting housing.
Jocelyn Figueroa
Jocelyn Figueroa studied Creative Non-Fiction at The New School and is a blogger and freelance writer based out of New York City. Formerly homeless, she launched her own blog discussing shelter life in New York City. Today, Jocelyn is on a mission to build connections through storytelling and creative writing. Check out her book about homelessness at https://ko-fi.com/scartissueproject
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