National Scan and Narrative Review of Landlord Engagement Activities in the United States

Jack Tsai
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health
Yale University School of Medicine
United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Center on Homelessness among Veterans

Victoria Solis
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health

Policy Briefs
The Policy Briefs department summarizes new, emerging, or overlooked topics in housing and community development from a neutral point of view. If you have a submission or proposal, please contact the editor at David.L.Hardiman@hud.gov.

This article reviews activities involving landlord engagement, as defined by activities and incentives intended to facilitate participation in supportive housing or tenant assistance programs, for which voluntary participation by private landlords, property owners, and/or property managers is needed for these programs to operate effectively. Although landlords and property owners are key stakeholders in efforts to address housing instability and homelessness, little research has examined the strategies and incentives that exist to engage them in supporting low-income tenants. This article describes a national scan of landlord engagement activities in the United States. The authors conducted a preliminary national scan of reports and websites from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other grey literature published from 2000 to 2023; they also conducted a literature search of academic research databases. Different landlord engagement activities were categorized and described. A total of 46 housing programs offering landlord engagement activities were found across the country, categorized into landlord financial rewards activities (n= 12), landlord financial assistance activities (n= 27), and landlord development support activities (n= 7). Financial incentives involved offerings such as cash bonuses, grants, and tax credits to landlords, and financial assistance typically encompassed risk mitigation funds, security deposit guarantees, and reimbursement for rent arrears on behalf of tenants. Developmental support activities provided training, education, and legal guidance and fostered relationships between landlords, tenants, and communities. Few empirical studies have assessed the effectiveness of any landlord engagement initiatives. Results of this study show there are many diverse types of landlord engagement activities across the United States, but limited research has been published on their overall effectiveness or effective components. Opportunities exist for more rigorous research and implementation science to fully develop these programs to improve outcomes for tenants and their landlords.