Building on a previous report that presented the first cost-based measure of home repair needs, this research brief updates estimates of national and regional repair costs using the most recent available data. Despite a modest decline in the prevalence of repair needs for both owners and renters, rising costs and growth in the number of occupied housing units increased the estimated cost of addressing physical housing deficiencies nationwide to $149.3 billion in 2022, an 18 percent nominal increase from the 2018 estimate. Repair needs were more prevalent among lower-income households, which accounted for an estimated $57.1 billion of that total.
- Spotlight: Repair Needs Among Weatherization Assistance–Eligible Homeowners: This brief examines home repair needs among low-income, energy-burdened homeowners who may be eligible for weatherization assistance.
Improving low-quality physical housing conditions can impact resident and community well-being. Channeling resources toward vulnerable populations, including poor households and renters who are more likely to be burdened by housing costs, can be most effective.
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