Impact of eviction bans on emergency and hospital care
Evaluating the impact of U.S. eviction moratoria on acute care use and costs
This project looks at whether eviction bans during the COVID-19 era reduced emergency visits and healthcare costs for Veterans who use VA care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11097166 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers link timing of the federal and local eviction moratoria to electronic health records from over 10 million VA patients from 2018–2023 to see how housing protections changed use of homeless services and acute healthcare. They will compare rates of eviction, enrollment in homeless programs, emergency visits, hospitalizations, and associated costs before, during, and after moratoria. The team will also examine tenant–landlord interactions in urban and rural areas to understand what helped keep people housed. Results come from national VA administrative and clinical data rather than in-person visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are U.S. Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare, especially those who rent housing or are at risk of eviction during the study period.
Not a fit: People who are not VA patients or who were stably housed and not affected by eviction risk are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform policies that help prevent homelessness and reduce emergency hospital use and costs for people facing eviction.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have linked housing protections to better health and lower emergency use, but this large national VA analysis applies those ideas at scale and is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tsai, Jack — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Tsai, Jack
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.