What explains variation in neighborhood evictions? Investigation of neighborhood characteristics and federal rental assistance: Case study of Kansas City, Missouri

Abstract

ABSTRACT Housing evictions occur throughout the United States but are unevenly distributed within cities and counties. Evictions are more common in some neighborhoods than in others. This study explores why evictions are more prevalent in certain neighborhoods than in others. First, it explores what neighborhood attributes explain the varying prevalence of evictions and eviction filings. Second, it investigates whether federal rental housing assistance reduces neighborhood evictions or eviction filings. Using the Kernel-Based Regularized Least Squares method suitable for exploratory analysis, this study examines the variation in evictions and eviction filings across Kansas City, Missouri, neighborhoods, between 2010 and 2016. This study finds that neighborhood racial composition (percentage of Black rental households) and family composition (percentage of rental households with children) are the strongest predictors of neighborhood evictions and eviction filings. This study finds that neighborhood housing insecurity and gentrification do not significantly affect the prevalence of evictions and eviction filings when other neighborhood characteristics are held constant. Variations in evictions and eviction filings are due to several neighborhood characteristics, which have nonlinear and heterogeneous effects on evictions and eviction filings. It also finds that federal rental housing assistance significantly reduces neighborhood evictions and eviction filings.