red 'for rent' sign on the front lawn of a white house with a porch

Wehby Publishes Study Linking State Eviction Moratoriums and Improved Mental Health

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George Wehby, senior faculty affiliate in the Health Policy Research Program, published a study finding an association between state eviction moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic and improved mental health among people who rent. The study was published in Health Affairs and was co-authored by Abdinasir Ali.

Eviction moratoriums prohibit any action by a landlord, owner, or other person to remove or cause the removal of a covered tenant from a property for non-payment of rent, on a state basis. This study investigated the short-term effects of these state eviction moratoriums in 2020 on the mental health status of renters using nationally representative data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Overall, there is some evidence from this study pointing to potential short-term benefits from state eviction moratoriums in 2020 to the mental health and well-being of renters.

Read the full study here.