Healthy Development Measurement Toolkit

Indicator HH.1.i Proportion of renter households paying more than 30% of their household income on gross rent

Data Source

U.S. Census 2000, Geolytics software. Census variables used: 'Renter households whose gross rent is 30 to 39.9% of their income last year' (R39PI0); 'Renter households whose gross rent is 40 to 49.9% of their income last year' (R49PI0); 'Renter households whose gross rent is 50% or more of their income last year' (R50PI0); 'Total renter-occupied housing units' (RNTOCC0).

Maps and tables prepared by City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section using ArcGIS software.

Map data is presented at the level of the census tract. The map also includes planning neighborhood names, in the vicinity of their corresponding census tracts.

Table data is presented by planning neighborhood. Planning neighborhoods are larger geographic areas then census tracts. SF DPH used ArcGIS software and a 'centroids within' methodology to convert census tracts to geographic mean center points. We then assigned census tracts to planning neighborhoods based on the spatial location of those geographic mean center points and calculated the planning neighborhood totals for the table.

Detailed information regarding census data, geographic units of analysis, their definitions, and their boundaries can be found in the HDMT at the following links:

http://www.thehdmt.org/etc/Geographic_Units_of_Analysis.pdf

http://www.thehdmt.org/data_map_methods.php

Explanation and Limitations

The U.S. Census collects data on percentage of household income spent on their gross rent. Gross rent is defined by the Census as the contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities and fuels. Renter households whose gross rent is more than 30% of their income is calculated using those the number of people who pay more than 30% of their income on gross rent divided by the total renter population within the neighborhood.

Households that spend more than 30% of their income on their homes are classified by the federal government as cost-burdened. Those who spend more than 50% of their income on housing are considered severely cost-burdened by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (see HDMT indicator HH1.b for more information). Thus, those who meet household income eligibility to receive federally subsidized housing are expected to pay no more than 30% of their annual income on their homes.

Why is this a Community Health Indicator?

High housing costs relative to the income of an individual or household result in one or more outcomes with adverse health consequences: spending a high proportion of income on housing, sharing housing with other individuals or families, accepting lower cost substandard housing, moving to where housing costs are lower, or becoming homeless. Spending a high proportion of income on rent or a mortgage means fewer resources for food, heating, transportation, health care, and child care. Sharing housing can mean crowded conditions, with risks for infectious disease, noise, and fires. Lower cost housing is often substandard with exposure to waste and sewage, physical hazards, mold spores, poorly maintained paint, cockroach antigens, old carpeting, inadequate heating and ventilation, exposed heating sources and wiring, and broken windows. Moving away can result in the loss of job, difficult school transitions, and the loss of health protective social networks.

For additional information on the connections between housing and health, visit: The Case for Housing Impacts Assessment by SFDPH, Program on Health Equity and Sustainability. Accessed online on October 19, 2006: http://www.thehdmt.org/etc/004_HIAR-May2004.pdf