The Intersection of Marginal Housing and Hunger: An Analysis of Food Insecurity Among Chicago Single Room Occupancy Building Residents

Background/Purpose: Emerging evidence suggests that food insecurity is a significant public health concern among people who are homeless or living in marginal or unstable housing situations. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and its covariates among a group of marginally housed individuals living in single room occupancy (SRO) dwellings. SROs are buildings that rent small, dormitory-style rooms to single adults. Though there is little extant research on food insecurity among this population, we hypothesized that the majority of SRO residents would experience some level of food insecurity, given residents’ typically limited incomes and the fact that SRO units do not usually include cooking facilities.

Methods: Venue-based recruitment was conducted at 10 private SRO residences in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Cross-sectional data was collected from participants (n=153) via an interviewer-administered survey. Food insecurity was measured by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), an instrument developed by the United States Agency for International Development that has been used in past research with North American homeless and marginally housed populations. Data were also collected on health-related, socioeconomic, and demographic covariates (e.g. income, SNAP participation [food stamps], health status, gender, and race) that have been linked to food insecurity in prior epidemiological research in the general population.

Results: The HFIAS scale exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .90). Food insecurity was widespread among SRO residents, with 75% of the sample considered food insecure and 52% meeting criteria for severe food insecurity. Bivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that female gender (OR=2.37), eating most meals at a soup kitchen (OR=9.75), having a mental health condition (OR=2.38), problem drinking (OR = 1.77), having at least one chronic health condition (OR=2.29), and diabetes (OR=2.77) were all significantly associated with food insecurity. Income was negatively associated, with a 9% reduction in the odds of food insecurity per $100 increase in monthly income. The relationship between SNAP benefits and food insecurity was not statistically significant. In the final multivariate ordered logistic regression model, eating most meals at a soup kitchen remained as the only significant correlate of moderate or severe food insecurity (OR=10.13).

Conclusions and Implications: SRO residents and other marginally housed populations face unique food access challenges. The high rate of food insecurity in this study is striking, especially considering that 73% of participants received SNAP benefits and many also accessed private food assistance through local soup kitchens and food pantries. These findings suggest that although targeted food assistance is critical in the short term, food insecurity among SRO residents could be better addressed through policy interventions to increase overall income. Elevated income would expand individuals’ purchasing power for food and other necessities, as well as their housing options. Policy action should include advocacy to raise the level of disability benefits, the most common income source for participants in this study. Housing policies can also address food insecurity among SRO residents, for example through programs to renovate SROs to include food preparation spaces and technologies.