Not Quite Out on the Streets: Housing Tenure among Low-Income Urban Fathers

Housing tenure has typically been conceptualized as a dichotomous indicator of homeownership versus renting. This study expands that indicator to include families who are doubled up (living with others to share the cost of housing), an important private safety net for low-income families. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n=4,376), we examine the role of family structure and social support, socioeconomic status, health and wellbeing indicators, prior incarceration, and race/ethnicity on housing tenure for low-income urban fathers. Our analysis reveals important differences in housing tenure by union status; married fathers are most likely to be homeowners, cohabiting fathers are more likely to be renters, and visiting fathers (romantically involved but not cohabiting) are more likely to double up. The findings also suggest that there are differences in housing tenure by socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and prior incarceration status.