Excessively high rents are a major burden for immigrants in US cities
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Excessively high rents are a major burden for immigrants in US cities. Rents across the US have climbed to staggering levels in recent years, with millions of renters spending more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are particularly affected by high rents. Immigrant workers in Nashville, a fast-growing immigrant metropolis, often spend more than 50% of their incomes on rent, making it difficult for them to afford education, job training, healthcare, and other necessities. The heavy rent burdens undermine their ability to have a higher standard of living and be included in mainstream society. As immigrants fan out across the US, cities receiving new foreign-born residents should anticipate a growing need for affordable housing. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened housing insecurity for people of color, including Latino and Somali communities. Immigration is the main driver of population growth in the US, and foreign-born residents make up 7.15% of the population. Nashville, the largest metropolis in Tennessee, has been a gateway for Latinos and other foreign-born residents since the early 2000s. Census data estimates for Nashville show that neighborhoods with high shares of foreign-born residents who are not yet citizens have the highest levels of rent burden. Gentrification and urban renewal have forced several Black and Somali communities from ownership into renting. Building more housing and creating affordable housing are effective ways to mitigate rent burdens, but communities sometimes oppose affordable housing projects. Helping immigrants afford housing is a smart strategy for growth-oriented cities.

#Rents #Immigrants #Housing #AffordableHousing #Nashville

https://theconversation.com/excessively-high-rents-are-a-major-burden-for-immigrants-in-us-cities-219467