With the recent inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) questions in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) published a report that begins to examine housing experiences by the understudied LGBTQI+ community. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 15.4 percent of U.S. renter households, or 6.9 million households are LGBTQI+, defined as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and individuals whose orientations differ from those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender.
Even though research shows that LGBTQI+ and non-LGBTQI+ households experienced similar rates of housing insecurity, HUD PD&R found that by comparing housing insecurity data with SOGI, race and ethnicity variables, housing insecurity metrics were higher for LGBTQI+ black and Hispanic renter households than for their non-LGBTQI+ black and Hispanic counterparts. LGBTQI+ white renters exhibited housing insecurity rates like their non-LBGTQI+ counterparts. Recognizing the importance of the intersectionality of race, ethnicity and LGBTQI+ household status has on housing insecurity, HUD PD&R also evaluated the percentage of LGBTQI+ households that live in HUD-assisted housing. The report summarized that an estimated 10 percent of black, non-Hispanic LGBTQI+ renter households and 5 percent of Hispanic, LGBTQI+ renter households live in public and assisted housing.
HUD PD&R acknowledges that even though the scope of this research was limited, future research into the intersections of SOGI, race, ethnicity, and housing access can help ensure equitable access to housing.