AMES, Iowa — When the COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the U.S. housing market, many housing experts turned their focus to struggling tenants. Iowa State University housing researcher Jane Rongerude saw a gap in the conversation.

“I wanted to understand residential rental property owners’ (RRPOs) decisions. What drives them to sell, stay or reinvest? Because those choices ultimately shape housing stability,” said Rongerude, an associate professor of community and regional planning. “If communities don’t understand these factors, they can’t develop policies that help stabilize housing after disasters.”

This realization led Rongerude and colleagues to apply for a $60,000 rapid response grant from the National Science Foundation in 2020 to study how rental property owners’ decision-making contributed to rental housing instability during the pandemic. The NSF awarded an additional $635,000 in funding in 2021, allowing Rongerude’s team to examine how these decisions extended beyond COVID-19 to other disasters.

Based on the project’s success, in late 2024 Rongerude obtained a “creativity extension” — a supplemental award of more than $425,000 — which will support efforts through 2027 to develop tools and datasets that will help cities build more resilient housing markets. With the increased funding, the project now totals $1.09 million over seven years.

Rongerude heads the multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research team, which currently includes Iowa State colleagues Kris M. De Brabanter, associate professor of statistics, and Samuel Mindes, adjunct assistant professor of sociology; Daniel Kuhlmann, assistant professor of real estate development and planning at the University of Arizona; Elizabeth Mueller, professor of community and regional planning at the University of Texas at Austin; and Jake Wegmann, associate professor and graduate advisor for community and regional planning at UT Austin.

Expanding their reach

In 2020, Rongerude’s team initially worked with four cities — Des Moines, Minneapolis, Cleveland and Tampa, Florida — chosen because they maintain rental registries, a rarity among U.S. municipalities.

“Cities often struggle even to identify who owns rental properties,” Rongerude said. “Without that information, it’s nearly impossible to create effective policies that support both RRPOs and tenants during crises.”

As the impacts of COVID-19 abated, the team expanded their study in 2021 to include nine mid-sized cities, adding locations in Texas, Louisiana and Florida — areas frequently affected by hurricanes and flooding.

“The COVID-19 pandemic was unique because properties weren’t physically damaged, but RRPOs still faced economic strain,” Rongerude said.

“We wanted to see how those financial pressures compared to disasters like hurricanes, where properties are directly impacted. How do these different types of shocks change rental markets in the long run?”

The study takes a longitudinal approach, tracking RRPOs’ decisions over time. Rongerude and her team have been following RRPOs to see who leaves the rental market, who consolidates, and whether these changes affect housing availability

“Smaller, community-minded property owners often sell their properties after a disaster, which can lead to ownership consolidation and higher rents,” said Rongerude. “Understanding these patterns helps cities create policies that promote rental housing stability.”

Researching for a brighter tomorrow

While much has been done to understand the behaviors of RRPOs, Rongerude and her team know their work is far from over. With the grant support extended through fall 2027, they are also aiming to develop practical tools for policymakers.

“We will be working with the National Hazard Center to create modules that will help cities develop more effective disaster recovery policies,” Rongerude said. “These modules will translate research findings into actionable strategies, from improving communication with RRPOs to designing financial incentives that encourage long-term rental stability.”

The implications of this research extend far beyond housing policy. The goal is not just to study these issues but to ensure that communities have the knowledge and tools they need to respond effectively, Rongerude said.

“Housing stability is critical for disaster recovery, and understanding RRPOs’ decision-making is a key piece of that puzzle,” she said. “If we get this right, we can create stronger, more resilient communities for the future.”

Contacts

Jane Rongerude, Associate Professor, Community and Regional Planning, jrong@iastate.edu
Esther Crompton, Communications Specialist, Community and Economic Development, eecrompt@iastate.edu
Lauren Johnson, Communications Specialist, College of Design, laujohn2@iastate.edu

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