Study by Legal Services Corporation, Office of Data Governance and Analysis

Read 10-Page Paper Here

Summary:

• More than one-third of all occupied residences in the United States are rentals, home to over 45 million households.

• Landlords, as the owners of these rental properties, provide a critical resource: affordable rental housing for individuals and families with limited incomes.

• About 70% of all landlords are small, “mom-and-pop” landlords who own four or fewer rental properties and often rely on timely rent to cover mortgage costs and property expenses.

MYTH 1: Eviction filings are a quick way to recover unpaid rent.

REALITY: Eviction filings take weeks or months and landlords rarely recover all unpaid rent.

MYTH 2: Landlords file evictions on a whim.

REALITY: Landlords typically explore other options with their tenants before filing for eviction.

MYTH 3: Eviction is a cost-effective way to manage risk.

REALITY: Far from being a cost-effective strategy for managing the risk of rent disruptions, evictions increase risk for landlords.

MYTH 4: Eviction only hurts the tenant.

REALITY: Both tenant and landlord lose.