Housing issues and realities facing grandparent caregivers who are renters.

PURPOSE This study determined the prevalence of grandparents raising grandchildren who are living in rental housing and explored the sociodemographic characteristics and challenges faced by such renters. DESIGN AND METHODS Data were obtained from the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey, a nationally representative survey of 700,000 households with a response rate of 96.8%. Frequencies and bivariate analyses were focused on the 2,639 respondents who were grandparent caregiver renters. RESULTS Of the 2,350,000 grandparent caregivers in the United States in 2000, 26% were renters, almost one third of whom were spending 30% or more of their income on rent. For the quarter of a million grandparent caregiver renters living below the poverty line, 60% were spending at least 30% of their household income on rent and 3 of 10 were living in overcrowded conditions. IMPLICATIONS Grandparent caregivers who are renters represent a particularly vulnerable population. The need for further research, policy, and programs for this group is discussed.