Eviction filings rose in Connecticut after pandemic-era protections, like an eviction moratorium, expired. The pandemic highlighted many pre-existing inequities, including in the housing system, experts have said.
A larger proportion of Black or Hispanic households are behind on rent and at risk of eviction, according to a report released Tuesday from Connecticut Voices for Children. The report tied evictions in Connecticut to housing costs that are too high for many families and a lack of affordable housing in the state.
It includes data analysis from 2017 to 2021 that shows Black renters were three times more likely to face eviction than white renters, and Hispanic renters were twice as likely.
Evictions have wide-ranging effects. They can lead to mental health issues, physical health problems, disruptions in income and difficulty accessing education for many children. Neighborhoods with high rates of eviction also tend to have less community engagement and social cohesion, according to the report.
The report also found that the lack of housing in Connecticut is a “significant driver” of evictions in the state.
Connecticut lacks about 89,000 units of housing that are affordable and available to its lowest income renters, and many more are spending too much of their income on housing costs.
This session, the legislature did approve nearly $1 billion in bonding toward housing over two years and passed several new renter protections, including a measure that requires eviction records are removed from court websites within 30 days if the cases are withdrawn, dismissed, or the tenant wins.
Read more: Does CT’s lack of affordable housing contribute to its eviction rate?