This four-part series examines the housing disparities between Spanish and English-speaking Summit County residents following the release of a wide-ranging county survey.
Results show that Spanish speakers are more likely to move because of an eviction, live in overcrowded housing and hotels, and rent without a lease agreement.
The series explores the factors driving inequity, the lived experiences of Spanish speakers, solutions for closing the housing gap and the challenges that remain.
Part I: A Breakdown of Disparities
Language barriers, immigrant status and a lack of community connection compound to create a higher likelihood of housing instability for Spanish speakers.
That’s in addition to challenges already plaguing working families unable to afford record-high home prices that hover in the millions.
As the county’s Spanish-speaking population grows, community leaders said addressing these inequities will remain a moral and economic imperative.
Part II: Eviction, the ‘Scarlet E’
Spanish speakers labelled eviction as the biggest reason for why they had to move in the past five years, with 23% reporting an eviction compared to 5% of English speakers.
For Patricia Geltman, a Summit County resident who emigrated from Cuba in 2019, an eviction warning served as a blemish on her record for months — complicating her search for housing.
Part III: Hotel Living
After fleeing their home country, Rene Marin and his family lived in a mid-size Summit County hotel room for nearly a year.
Instead of the lush garden they shared in Nicaragua, the family’s backyard was a paved parking lot. Six metal bunk beds occupied much of their space and a dual hot plate cooktop and microwave served as their kitchen. They paid about $2,500 per month for the room and rented without a lease agreement.
Part IV: Solutions and Challenges
Adolfo Ramírez went from sleeping on an air mattress on the living room floor in a crowded, one-bedroom apartment to having his own bed, a full-size kitchen and shared living space thanks to help from local officials and nonprofits.
The effort, while not a silver-bullet approach, represents how local officials and community advocates are seeking ways to help close the housing gap.
Key findings
A 2023 county survey of more than 2,800 residents revealed stark disparities in the housing experiences of English and Spanish speakers. Here are some of the findings:
