Housing precarity refers to the condition of being vulnerable to housing insecurity or instability, which is why we spoke to All The Houses I’ve Ever Lived In author Kieran Yates on why shelter is important. She speaks about living in 25 different homes by the time she was 30-years-old. This can have a significant impact on individuals, families, and communities. Some of the impacts of housing precarity include:

1. Physical and mental health: Living in inadequate or unstable housing can lead to physical and mental health problems. For example, exposure to mould or other environmental hazards can cause respiratory problems, while living in overcrowded conditions can increase the risk of infectious diseases. In addition, the stress of not having a stable place to live can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
2. Economic instability: Housing precarity can also lead to economic instability. People who are constantly moving or living in unstable housing may have difficulty holding down a job or accessing education or training opportunities. They may also have to spend a significant portion of their income on housing, leaving little left over for other expenses.
3. Social isolation: Housing precarity can also lead to social isolation. People who are constantly moving or living in unstable housing may have difficulty forming social connections or participating in community activities.
4. Educational outcomes: Children who experience housing precarity may struggle academically due to frequent moves and instability. They may also have difficulty accessing resources such as libraries or internet access.
5. Homelessness: Housing precarity can also lead to homelessness, which has a range of negative impacts on individuals and communities, including increased risk of physical and mental health problems, reduced economic stability, and social isolation.

Hence, the impact of housing precarity is significant and can have long-lasting effects on individuals, families, and communities.

So why is shelter important?

Thanks to the following guests for participating:

Kieran Yates is the author of All The Houses I’ve Ever Lived. She is also a journalist and broadcaster who writes regularly on youth culture, housing, immigration and politics for publications including the Guardian, the Independent and VICE. She recently produced the BBC Radio 4 documentary “Estate Music”, which explored the link between music, immigrant communities in the UK and social housing. All The Houses I’ve Ever Lived In is the author’s first solo book, having been a contributor to The Good Immigrant and Haramacy anthologies.

Irene Abbou is an ICF certified coach trained in the Gottman Method for couples’ therapy and double certified in positive psychology.

Dr. Jack Drescher, psychoanalyst and past president of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and a Faculty Member at Columbia’s Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health.

Here are some of the resources from the show:

Every year, American families are evicted from their homes in the millions. But while economic controversies like unemployment rates and welfare reform continue to grab headlines, the eviction crisis has gone largely unreported. Sociologist Matthew Desmond examined the experiences of evicted families for his book “Evicted,” and joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss what he learned. Check out the review on Desmond’s new book Poverty.

Books looked at this week:

Kieran Yates: All The Houses I’ve Ever Lived In: Finding Home in a System that Fails Us

Matthew Desmond: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City

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Transcription