Food insecurity and housing affordability among low-income families : does housing assistance reduce food insecurity?

Abstract

Objective: Given the competing needs for food and housing under the limited household income among poor families, there is lack of research on the associations between housing affordability and food insecurity. This study examines how housing cost burden affects food insecurity of low-income families and whether decreased housing cost enhance food security. Design: Longitudinal data from the Korean Welfare Panel Study, of which the final sample for the analysis consisted of 31,304 household-level observations from 5,466 households based on 12 waves (2007-2018) Setting: South Korea Participants: Low-income households in the lowest 40% of household income distribution Results: 19.3% had food insecurity, and housing cost burden was associated with food insecurity. While in-kind housing assistance and in-cash assistance from all sources were likely to reduce food insecurity partially through influencing housing cost burden, in-cash housing assistance was associated with higher likelihood of food insecurity. Conclusions: Housing cost burden potentially limits food access among poor families, and housing assistance, particularly public housing and sufficient in-cash assistance, are conducive to alleviating food insecurity.