Hurricanes Drove Rent Increases and Evictions

Researchers found that renters in coastal regions faced rising housing costs and eviction risks for two years after storm exposure.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Apartments

Flat opaque gouache-painted illustration of a single weathered wooden house piling in shallow coastal water, representing housing instability. — A new study links hurricane exposure to increased rent prices and eviction risks for tenants in East and Gulf Coast states. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should disaster recovery policies prioritize renter protection and rent stability over physical housing reconstruction?

A study of county-level data from 2009 to 2018 across 19 East and Gulf Coast states linked hurricane exposure to higher eviction filing rates for renters. Housing costs climbed as displacement pressure mounted following these natural disasters.

Why it matters

The research highlights how renters lack control over structural repairs and access to the property-owner assistance programs that often prioritize restoring homes over supporting tenant stability. This dynamic forces households to manage higher living costs during an already precarious recovery period.

Rents increased by an average of 1.8% during the year of a hurricane and 2.7% the following year, according to data from 19 East and Gulf Coast states. These elevated price levels persisted for as long as two years after the storms occurred.

The players

Rowan University

The academic institution where researchers led the study on the impact of storm exposure on housing stability.

The details

Hurricanes shift local housing markets by damaging available inventory, which often triggers rent hikes that create immediate displacement pressure for tenants. While disaster recovery programs often focus on physical repairs to property, the financial burden of these price increases falls directly on renters. Because tenants generally lack the ability to negotiate repairs or influence how property-owner aid is utilized, they remain uniquely vulnerable to the resulting post-storm housing instability.

2009-2018: Period of county-level data analyzed by researchers.
Year of hurricane: Rent increased by an average of 1.8 percent.
Year following hurricane: Rent increased by an average of 2.7 percent.
Two years post-storm: Persistence of elevated rent prices.

Money Landscape

This study provides a retrospective view of the 2009-2018 U.S. coastal housing market trends. It illustrates how disaster recovery policies can inadvertently exacerbate long-term affordability challenges for renters in storm-prone regions.

Renters living in storm-prone coastal areas should consider maintaining a larger emergency fund to buffer against potential post-disaster rent hikes. Consult a qualified financial professional to assess how your local housing market might be impacted by regional disaster recovery trends.

The takeaway

The research confirms that disaster-related rent inflation is a persistent financial risk for renters that can last for years after a storm. Residents should prioritize building a liquid savings cushion and reviewing their lease terms for protection clauses before storm season begins.