The Human Rights Implications of High Rent and Financial Barriers to Renting Apartments in the U.S.
- Human Rights Research Center
- Mar 18
- 7 min read
Author: Fola Adamolekun
March 18, 2025
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Introduction
Access to housing is a basic human right, yet securing affordable rental housing - let alone purchasing a home - is extremely difficult for many groups of people. High rent prices and strict financial requirements like income thresholds, credit score checks, and large security deposits create barriers that limit people’s ability to find a home. These barriers disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including low-income people, racial minorities, individuals with disabilities, and even new college graduates. This article will look at how these obstacles violate human rights and contribute to housing inequality, while also suggesting possible solutions to help create a more fair and accessible housing system.
Barriers to Housing Access
Although housing is considered a human right, the reality for many is that rent prices are simply too high to afford, leaving many people without stable homes. On top of steep rent, landlords often require tenants to meet certain income and credit score standards. For those already struggling financially, like low-income families, these requirements push them out of the rental market. It’s a huge problem that leaves many in a position where they either can’t find a place to live and end up houseless or housing insecure, or are forced into living in unsafe or unstable conditions. Examples of this include homelessness, substandard housing with structural damage or lack of basic utilities, overcrowded living spaces, and homes without proper heating or cooling.
Credit scores play a major role in determining who gets access to rental housing, but for many, especially people who’ve faced financial hardship, poor credit can feel like a permanent barrier. Having a poor or nonexistent credit history is not necessarily a reflection of one’s ability to pay rent. Many people with low credit lacked opportunities to build and pay off debts. So when landlords use credit as a deciding factor, they end up excluding a large portion of the population from secure housing.
Discrimination against racial minorities and people with disabilities further prevents many from access to housing. Racial minorities are often denied housing or shown fewer options because of biases, whether overt or subtle. People with disabilities face further challenges as they require specific accommodations that can make housing even more expensive or inaccessible. This means they’re often left with fewer affordable options, and many end up in places that don’t meet their needs.
New college graduates also face difficulty entering the rental market. Starting salaries for entry-level jobs are often low, and when combined with landlords’ income requirements, many recent graduates are excluded from housing opportunities. Even though they may be employed and educated, their low earnings make it hard for them to meet the financial standards landlords have set. Starting salaries for entry-level jobs in the U.S. typically average around $39,004 per year, with variations based on industry, location, and job type. For example, entry-level positions in tech or finance can offer higher starting salaries, often exceeding $60,000 annually, while retail or service roles may start closer to minimum wage. This results in many people being burdened by high rent, leaving them with little funds to cover other essential needs after paying for housing.
Impact on Marginalized Groups
The challenges of securing rental housing create significant barriers for marginalized groups, leading to a range of negative consequences. Housing instability often leads to poor physical and mental health, less access to educational opportunities, and limited job prospects. These barriers have long-term effects, keeping people in cycles of poverty and exclusion that can be hard to break.
For racial minorities, discriminatory practices in housing continue to be a serious issue. Historically, practices like redlining and racial steering kept many racial minorities from accessing housing in certain neighborhoods. “For decades, until the Fair Housing Act of 1968, redlining legally blocked groups of people (especially Black households and other households of color) from homeownership opportunities based on race, ethnicity, and religion.” ( Peiffer, 2023) While these practices are now illegal, they still show up in small forms, like denying housing to applicants based on their racial or ethnic background. For people with disabilities, the lack of accessible housing is an ongoing problem. Many are forced to pay more for accommodations or to live in places that don’t fully meet their needs. This makes it harder for them to live independently, creating a barrier to full participation in society.
Proposed Solutions
To address housing as a human right, it is crucial to consider changes to current housing policies and systems. Rent control or stabilization measures, such as limiting how much rent can increase, could help prevent rent from spiraling out of control. Revising or eliminating income and credit score requirements would make it easier for more people to qualify for rental housing, particularly those who don’t have high salaries or a long credit history. Expanding and improving upon affordable housing initiatives is also critical in ensuring that everyone has access to safe and stable housing, regardless of their financial situation.
Another important change would be ensuring better protection against discrimination in housing, especially for racial minorities and people with disabilities. Expanding the availability of accessible housing and enforcing stronger anti-discrimination laws would go a long way toward creating a more equitable system. To expand on this, there are a few examples of policies that have made progress in reducing housing discrimination. For instance, the Fair Housing Act in the U.S. has been crucial in addressing issues of discrimination, and recent updates have added stronger protections for people with disabilities. In cities such as San Francisco, there are programs aimed to increase affordable housing specifically for racial minorities. Additionally, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit has been used to encourage property developers to include more accessible units. These examples show that targeted policies can work, and they can serve as models of change in housing equity.
Conclusion
The issue of high rent prices and financial barriers to housing access goes far beyond just economics. It’s a human rights issue. Marginalized groups, including low-income families, racial minorities, individuals with disabilities, and new graduates, face significant challenges when trying to find a stable place to live. By addressing the underlying financial requirements and promoting policies like rent control, more inclusive credit standards, and expanded affordable housing, we can begin to move toward a housing system that is more just and accessible for everyone. Only then can we begin to ensure that housing is truly a right, not a privilege reserved for the financially fortunate.
Glossary
Accommodation - the adjustments or modifications made to a housing environment to meet the specific needs of people with disabilities. These can include features like ramps, wider doorways, or accessible bathrooms, which help ensure that individuals with disabilities can live comfortably and safely in a home.
Anti-Discrimination Laws - laws that prohibit unfair treatment of individuals based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. These laws are meant to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all people, particularly in areas like employment, housing, and education.
Credit Score - a numerical representation of an individual's creditworthiness based on their credit history. It typically ranges from 300 to 850, with a higher score indicating better creditworthiness. Lenders use it to decide whether to approve loans and what interest rates to offer.
Houseless or Housing Insecure - people who do not have stable, permanent, or adequate housing. "Houseless" refers to people living without shelter, while "housing insecure" refers to individuals or families who are at risk of losing their housing due to factors like eviction, financial instability, or unsafe living conditions.
Income Thresholds - these are specific income levels set by governments or organizations to determine eligibility for certain programs, benefits, or assistance. For example, income thresholds might be used to qualify for low-income housing, healthcare programs, or subsidies.
Marginalized Groups - groups of people who experience discrimination, exclusion, or disadvantage based on their identity, characteristics, or circumstances. This can include people based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic status.
Property Developers - individuals or companies involved in the planning, construction, and sale or rental of properties, such as residential, commercial, or mixed-use buildings. They play a key role in the real estate market by creating new housing and infrastructure.
Racial Minorities - groups of people who are part of a racial or ethnic group that is smaller or disadvantaged compared to the majority in a given society. In many contexts, racial minorities face systemic challenges and discrimination based on their race.
Racial steering - a practice where real estate agents or housing providers guide potential buyers or renters toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race, often steering minorities away from predominantly white areas. This practice contributed to racial segregation by limiting access to housing opportunities in specific areas for racial minorities.
Redlining - a practice starting in the late 1930s in which multiple real estate and public sector actors developed and adopted color-coded maps to identify areas’ “riskiness” for housing investment and mortgage lending—relied explicitly on racist assumptions.
Rent Control or Stabilization - a policy or set of laws that limits the amount a landlord can charge for rent, typically to protect tenants from excessive rent increases. Rent control aims to make housing more affordable, particularly in high-demand areas.
Security Deposits - a sum of money paid by a tenant to a landlord before renting a property, intended to cover potential damage to the property or unpaid rent. This deposit is usually refundable at the end of the lease, minus any deductions for damage or unpaid amounts.
Steep - something that is sharply inclined or has a significant slope, but in a figurative sense, it can describe something that is difficult or challenging, such as a steep learning curve or steep costs (e.g., high prices).
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