How Psychology Can Help Build Housing Justice

"Across cities and towns in the U.S., shelter is increasingly out of reach ( Harvard, 2025). The nation is currently short at least two million homes ( deRitis et al., 2025), and many individuals with roofs over their heads are at risk of becoming unhoused; half of renters nationwide are cost-burdened by rent, and a quarter spend at least 50 percent of their income on rent. These numbers are even higher for racially marginalized households ( U.S. Census Bureau, 2024)."

"Dominant cultural narratives often suggest that homelessness results from personal failure or poor choices ( Polner, 2019), but the empirical evidence tells a different story. Research shows that housing insecurity and homelessness are linked to systemic forces, including wage stagnation, racial discrimination, and policy decisions made decades ago ( Colburn, 2022). For example, communities affected by redlining continue to face generational impacts ( Gerken et al., 2023),"

"For example, communities affected by redlining continue to face generational impacts ( Gerken et al., 2023), and rental inquiries with names signaling African American identity receive fewer positive responses from landlords than those with White-sounding names ( Carpusor & Loges, 2006). Importantly, psychology also reveals the toll of housing insecurity on people's well-being. Housing insecurity and homelessness can be stressful, humiliating, exhausting, traumatic, and dangerous ( Adams et al., 2024; APA, 2011)."

Across U.S. cities and towns, shelter is increasingly out of reach, with a national shortfall of at least two million homes and many renters cost-burdened by rent. Half of renters are cost-burdened and a quarter spend at least 50% of income on rent, with higher rates for racially marginalized households. Social and structural forces such as wage stagnation, racial discrimination, redlining, and long-standing policy decisions shape housing insecurity and homelessness. Housing insecurity causes stress, humiliation, exhaustion, trauma, and danger, undermining well-being. Combining quantitative and qualitative data can reduce stigma and reveal the complex foundations of housing instability.

Read at Psychology Today