(Radio Iowa) – A Drake University study finds a major need for more emergency family shelters in central Iowa.
Researchers followed ten homeless families living in shelters across the Des Moines metro last year as they navigated housing resources. Drake sociology professor Elizabeth Talbert says discrimination from landlords against low-income renters and “exorbitant” application fees made the housing search even more difficult for families. Talbert says one of the largest stressors for families was figuring out how to navigate homeless services.
The study recommends limiting the number of application fees low-income families need to pay, and creating tougher regulations to hold landlords accountable for predatory pricing.
