Evicted: Analysis of the Issue of Eviction
One of the major issues surrounding eviction trends is that women are more likely to be evicted from inner-city neighborhoods than their male counterparts. However, the rate of female eviction is higher in black and Hispanic neighborhoods compared to white ones. The eviction rate of female renters is 1.87 times more than that of male renters in black neighborhoods and 5.24 times more than that of women from white localities (Desmond, 99). The main reason behind women being overrepresented in the eviction rates is that they undergo a hard time as they try to raise rent compared to male renters in their neighborhoods. The task is more challenging for female renters who are single mothers. Despite the challenges female renters face, the cost of renting a house has been increasing with time. Women face challenges when raising rent and have to struggle to cover their huge expenses. This shows that female renters are more likely to experience the negative consequences that come with an eviction.
Another issue surrounding eviction trends is that renters with children face a higher risk of being evicted. Children increase the likelihood of single mothers being evicted since landlords have the perception that they will cost them money and cause headache. Renters with children are likely to be evicted since children easily suffer from lead poisoning, especially in black neighborhoods, which can cause a landlord to receive an abatement order. Slum clearance is another issue that contributes to high rates of evictions, especially in poor neighborhoods. Many municipalities have brought down housing units leaving many residents scattered throughout the city. Renters whose houses are brought down have to look for new housing units which is a great challenge with the increasing cost of the rent.
Another issue identified in the supplemental reading is that renters are likely to receive an eviction notice after reporting their landlords to an intermediary. Renters who seek to avoid confrontation with their landlords often rely on intermediary services to address housing problems. However, those who choose to follow the path face an increased risk of eviction since landlordsā fear fines that might come from violating stipulated codes. Landlords might not cite reporting them to be the main reason behind an eviction notice but select other reasons, such as non-payment.
Housing authorities could help with the trends presented in the supplemental reading by increasing the budget for constructing affordable houses. Over the years, federal expenditure on affordable housing programs has reduced significantly hence the increasing costs of rent. According to Desmond, (106), the period between 1995 and 2007 saw federal expenditure on low-income housing reduce by 20%. Increasing the budget for affordable houses will help ensure that renters from poor backgrounds can raise needed rent without much struggle. The action suggested above is feasible since increasing the number of affordable housing will help solve the issue of women, especially single mothers receiving an eviction notice. Having affordable housing programs developed by the federal government will help eliminate eviction issues resulting from having a problem with oneās landlord. This will make it easier for renters with children to find a place to stay without having to deal with perceptions held by landlords. Having problems with landlords is one of the main reasons behind many eviction notices received by renters.
Work Cited
Desmond, Matthew. “Eviction and the Reproduction of Urban Poverty.” American journal of sociology 118.1 (2012): 88-133. Web.