The Relationship Between Legal Status and Housing Cost Burden for Immigrants in the United States

The recent US Supreme Court decision to legalize marriages of same-sex couples has resulted in a surge of new marriages, and some end in divorce. There is a limited research base to draw on to understand the potential patterns and correlates of divorce among same-sex couples. There are only a few recent studies on the instability or dissolution of same-sex relationships in the United States in part because there are only a handful of data sources with large enough samples of same-sex couples that can be used to analyze the instability of same-sex relationships and compare their stability to different-sex relationships. The chapter reviews recent findings on the dissolution of same-sex relationships in Europe and the United States with a focus on the legal status of the relationship, noting areas for future research. It discusses potential opportunities and challenges in new studies of divorce and dissolution among same-sex couples.

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Who has Housing Affordability Problems? Disparities in Housing Cost Burden by Race, Nativity, and Legal Status in Los Angeles

Race and Social Problems ◽

10.1007/s12552-013-9086-x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 173-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Eileen Diaz McConnell

Keyword(s):

Los Angeles ◽

Legal Status ◽

Housing Affordability ◽

Housing Cost ◽

Cost Burden ◽

Housing Cost Burden

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The Effects of Housing Cost Burden and Housing Tenure on Moves to a Nursing Home Among Low- and Moderate-Income Older Adults

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnaa052 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (8) ◽

pp. 1485-1494

Author(s):

Meghan Jenkins Morales ◽

Stephanie A Robert

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Nursing Home ◽

Nursing Homes ◽

Affordable Housing ◽

The United States ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Housing Tenure ◽

Housing Cost ◽

Cost Burden ◽

Housing Cost Burden

Abstract Background and Objectives In the United States, a growing number of older adults struggle to find affordable housing that can adapt to their changing needs. Research suggests that access to affordable housing is a significant barrier to reducing unnecessary nursing home admissions. This is the first empirical study we know of to examine whether housing cost burden (HCB) is associated with moves to nursing homes among older adults. Research Design and Methods Data include low- and moderate-income community-dwelling older adults (N = 3,403) from the nationally representative 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study. HCB (≥30% of income spent on mortgage/rent) and housing tenure (owner/renter) are combined to create a 4-category housing typology. Multinomial logistic regression models test (a) if renters with HCB are most likely (compared with other housing types) to move to a nursing home over 3 years (2015–2018) and (b) if housing type interacts with health and functioning to predict moves to a nursing home. Results Across all models, renters with HCB had the greatest likelihood of moving to a nursing home. Moreover, self-rated health, physical capacity, and mental health were weaker predictors of nursing home moves for renters with HCB. Discussion and Implications Results suggest that older renters with HCB are most likely to experience unnecessary nursing home placement. The growing population of older renters experiencing HCB may not only signal a housing crisis, but may also challenge national efforts to shift long-term care away from nursing homes and toward community-based alternatives.

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A Legal Perspective on the Organization–Volunteer Relationship

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly ◽

10.1177/0899764018762319 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (2_suppl) ◽

pp. 12S-29S

Author(s):

Joseph Mead

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Legal Status ◽

Nonprofit Organization ◽

The United States ◽

Court Decisions ◽

Legal Rules ◽

Program Participant ◽

Legal Obligations ◽

Legal Perspective ◽

The Relationship

How does law view and shape the relationship between nonprofit organization and volunteer? To address this question, I draw on information from statutes, court decisions, and agency guidance from both the federal and state law in the United States. In general, “volunteer” is not a legally defined category in the United States, leaving a volunteer’s legal status to depend on whether the volunteering aligns with other, recognized types of relationships, such as employer–employee, principal–agent, or program–participant. By providing a synthesis of these varied legal rules as they apply to volunteers working for a nonprofit organization, this piece identifies different ways of describing the relationship between organization and volunteer, and the legal obligations and benefits that flow as a result.

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