Eviction Filing Patterns in Subsidized Housing: Differences by Owner, Manager, and Program Type

Source abstract

Despite a growing body of literature on evictions in subsidized housing, the variations in eviction practices across different types of property owners and managers remain underexplored. This study aims to address this gap by examining how eviction filing rates differ among properties owned and managed by for-profits, nonprofits, and housing authorities within various affordable housing programs, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA), and Public Housing. By integrating administrative data from multiple sources, we investigate differences in eviction filing rates in Oregon’s multifamily subsidized housing properties between 2019 and mid-2024. Our results indicate that for-profit-owned, contract-managed LIHTC properties have higher eviction filing rates compared to nonprofit-owned, contract-managed PBRA properties, nonprofit-owned, self-managed PBRA properties, and housing-authority-owned, self-managed Public Housing. We also find that housing-authority-owned LIHTC properties managed in-house exhibit lower eviction filing rates than those managed by third parties. Furthermore, the study reveals consistently low rates of tenant legal representation across all owner-manager-program types. These findings highlight the need for changes in program designs and increased resources to prevent evictions in subsidized housing.