Evictions and health

The public health consequences of lifting moratoria

Abstract

Eviction is increasingly viewed as a social determinant of health, linked to mental illness, chronic illness, and death, while children experience ongoing developmental harms. During COVID-19, eviction moratoriums operated as a public health measure, providing protections against displacement and contagion. As the eviction moratoriums expired, there was an exploitation of this protection, resulting in rising filings and replicating health risks and health inequities. This article reviews the evidence that links eviction and health, so we can posit responses that integrate housing and health policy.