Persistent disparities in affordable rental housing among America's ethnoracial groups

Housing and residential outcomes in the United States are significantly stratified by ethnoracial group, but the extent to which disparities exist in affordable renting over time is less clear. In this study, I explore affordable housing disparities among White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian renters and test hypotheses regarding variation by education, local ethnoracial composition, and chosen measurement of affordability. Chiefly, I find that White households have higher rates of affordable housing than Black and Hispanic households with disparities remaining nearly identical between 2005 and 2019 and become larger when considering household's ability to afford other basic needs. Nevertheless, returns to education are not uniformly larger for White renters, in that Black and Asian renters experience larger marginal increases in residual income based affordable housing at higher levels of education. The effects of county ethnoracial composition effects are consistent with all groups-including White households-experiencing declining affordability when living in counties with large coethnic populations.

Home environment and noise disturbance in a national sample of multi-family buildings in Sweden-associations with medical symptoms

BACKGROUND

Poor acoustic conditions at home can have negative health impact. The aim was to investigate home environment factors and medical symptoms associated with noise disturbance.

METHODS

All adults (≥18 y) registered in selected apartments in Sweden were invited to participate in a questionnaire survey including medical questions and personal factors. Totally 5775 adults participated (response rate 46%). Information on home environment was obtained through an indoor environment questionnaire. Two-level logistic regression models (individual, municipality) were performed to estimate associations.

RESULTS

Totally 11.9% reported noise disturbance in general at home. Noise disturbance from voice/radio/TV/music/similar sounds from neighbours (13.2%), scraping sound/footsteps/thumping from neighbours (16.5%) and road traffic (16.1%) were common. Younger age and smoking were related to more noise disturbance and more medical symptoms. Noise disturbance was related to tiredness, headache and difficulty concentrating (OR = 1.70-8.19). Renting the apartment (OR = 2.53) and living above ground floor (OR = 1.37) were related to more noise disturbance in general. Living in newer buildings (constructed from 1986 to 2005) was related to less noise disturbance in general (OR = 0.40-0.59). A warmer climate (OR = 1.95), higher municipality population density (OR = 1.24), a longer living time (OR = 1.34), construction year (1961-1975) (OR = 2.42), renting (OR = 1.80-2.32), living above ground floor (OR = 1.45) and having a bathroom fan (OR = 1.84) were associated with increased noise disturbance from neighbours. Factors associated with increased noise disturbance from installations or ventilation/fans/heat pumps included a warmer climate, higher municipality population density, construction year (1961-1995), renting and any mechanical ventilation. Higher municipality population density, construction year (especially 1961-1985) and renting were associated with more noise disturbance from traffic (OR = 1.77-3.92). Renting the apartment (OR = 1.73) and living above ground floor (OR = 1.60) were related to more severe traffic noise disturbances. Noise disturbance in general was partly a mediator of the effects of old buildings, renting the apartment and lack of mechanical ventilation on medical symptoms (% of total effect mediated by noise disturbance: 19-44.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Noise disturbance can be associated medical symptoms. Younger age, smoking, a warmer climate, higher municipality population density and different building factors (e.g. renting the apartment, construction period 1961-1985) can be associated with noise disturbance.