Landlords’ rental businesses before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a National Cross-Site Survey

•Small landlords and landlords of color disproportionately struggled with rent collection both prior to and during the pandemic.•Pandemic-induced rental revenue declines alone cannot explain landlords’ changing business practices.•Landlords were more likely to take punitive actions against tenants in communities of color than in white communities holding constant rental payment rates, both before and during the pandemic.•Elevated rates of property disinvestment during the pandemic have implications for the viability and affordability of the housing stock for years to come.