New Study Reveals High Eviction Rates Among Black Women

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) May 14, 2025 — A new study published today in the Journal of Urban Health reveals that more than half of Black women, across urban and suburban neighborhoods as well as socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, have experienced a court-ordered or illegal eviction. The study also finds that evictions contribute to worse health outcomes for everyone in the community, reinforcing that safe, stable, and affordable housing is a foundation for wellbeing. 

“We would expect people with low incomes to have a higher risk of eviction, since inability to pay rent is the leading predictor of eviction,” said Detroit native Dr. Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson, associate professor of epidemiology at The Ohio State University College of Public Health and lead author of the study. “But our data shows that Black women experience eviction no matter their income level. We also found that being evicted as a child has serious, harmful effects on health in adulthood.”

Building on previous research from the SECURE Study, which found high eviction rates over time are associated with higher rates of psychological distress among pregnant Black women, this latest study is the first of its kind to comprehensively quantify the health impacts that evictions have on Black women. Specific findings include:

• Over half of SECURE Study participants reported experiencing a residential eviction, and nearly half of all evictions reported were illegal, which occurs when a landlord forces a tenant to leave their home without a court-issued eviction order. 
• Twenty-five percent of study participants experienced an eviction before their 18th birthday.
• Study participants who experienced eviction during childhood—through a court order or an illegal eviction—were 12-17% more likely to self-report poor health. This measure captures not just their physical health, but also mental and emotional wellbeing, and it can even predict outcomes like illness or early death.
• Those who were evicted as children or had experienced an illegal eviction were 34-37% more likely to report worse self-rated health compared to others their age.

The analysis included data from more than 1,400 Black women across reproductive age (18-46) in Metro Detroit (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties), with 88% reporting they had previously given birth. Primarily using an online survey (telephone surveys were also available), participants shared individual experiences of court-ordered and illegal evictions, mental and physical health, social, behavioral, and psychosocial factors, childhood experiences, clinical, and other factors.  

“For generations, Black families have been subjected to housing discrimination that is a result of intentional structural racism, which has led to the eviction crisis we’re seeing today. This is a crisis for those being evicted and for entire communities,” said Dr. Sealy-Jefferson. “Displacing families has a ripple effect that can undermine community health. It impacts people’s jobs, schools, social support networks, and other community-based resources. Evictions are traumatic and associated with poor health for those who were evicted and those living in the community.”

Based on the study’s findings, the authors recommend the following policy actions to address housing inequities, protect Black women and families, and promote long-term community wellbeing:

• Increase federal investment in affordable housing assistance, with an emphasis on addressing the needs of Black women and families with children.
• Acknowledge and address the historical and ongoing racial injustices in housing—particularly those affecting Black communities—and supporting efforts such as federal government funded reparations as a step toward health equity.
• Expand the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) scale to include eviction during childhood. This study highlights a clear link between childhood eviction and poor health outcomes, yet eviction is not currently recognized as an ACE. With over 60% of SECURE participants reporting 4–16 ACEs, eviction should be acknowledged alongside abuse, neglect, and other childhood traumas.
• Implement neighborhood-level policy reforms—including affordable housing initiatives, stronger tenant protections, and anti-discrimination measures—to improve housing structures and community conditions, ensuring safe and stable environments for Black women and their children.
• Strengthen enforcement of anti-discrimination housing laws and illegal evictions, recognizing that housing discrimination still persists despite the Fair Housing Act, and illegal evictions take many forms and are highly prevalent.

Support for this research was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

About the SECURE Study

The Social Epidemiology to Combat Unjust Residential Evictions (SECURE) Study investigates the magnitude and health impacts of court-ordered and illegal evictions on Black women, families, and communities in Metro Detroit, including Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. The study collected detailed data on eviction experiences, mental and physical health, and a range of social and behavioral factors. The SECURE study aims to fill critical gaps in epidemiologic research and highlight the role of unjust housing practices in shaping health inequities. SECURE Study is also documenting resistance strategies that Black women use to survive, retain their humanity, and thrive amidst multiple simultaneous oppressions. To learn more, visit: securestudy.org.