Less than four rental homes are affordable and available for every 10 extremely low-income renter households—those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of the area median income (AMI)—nationwide, with no state or major metro area having an adequate rental housing supply for the poorest renters, according to a new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC).

The shortage of affordable housing has resulted in 70% of extremely low-income renter households being severely housing cost-burdened—spending more than 50% of their income on housing costs. These households then struggle to afford other essentials, such as food, transportation, child care, and health care.

The annual “The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes” report is based on 2019 data from the American Community Survey and doesn’t account for the impact that the pandemic has had on low-income renter households.

“The crisis created by COVID-19 has made it clearer than ever that stable, affordable housing for all is an imperative for public health, individual well-being, and our country,” said NLIHC president and CEO Diane Yentel. “As our research shows, even before the pandemic, seven out of 10 renters with the lowest incomes were at severe risk of housing instability. When it became vital to maintain social distancing, many of these families—disproportionately people of color—struggled to keep the very homes needed to stay safe and healthy.”

Yentel added that while emergency rental assistance is on its way, the long-term problem of housing affordability still requires significant investments.

“Without bold action, the lowest-income renters will continue to endure severe housing cost burdens, housing instability, and eviction. With bold political will and leadership, we can end homelessness and housing poverty in America once and for all.”

Key findings from this year’s report includes:

  • 10.8 million renter households with extremely low incomes account for one-quarter of all renter households and 9% of all U.S. households.
  • Extremely low-income renter households face a shortage of nearly 7 million affordable and available rental homes. Only 37 affordable and available homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households.
  • 60 affordable and available homes exist for every 100 renter households with incomes at or below 50% of the AMI.
  • 94 and 102 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 renter households earning at or below 80% and 100% of the AMI, respectively.
  • Nevada has only 20 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households, followed by California, 24; Oregon, 25; Arizona; 26; and Florida, 28.
  • Wyoming and Mississippi are at the top of the list, with 61 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households, followed by West Virginia with 60 and Alabama and South Dakota with 58 each.
  • The metros with the most severe housing gaps are Las Vegas, with only 16 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households, followed by Houston, 19, and Los Angeles, 20.
  • Topping the list of metros is Providence, Rhode Island, with 50 affordable and available units for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. Boston comes in with 49 and Pittsburgh with 48.