Evicted:
Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Eviction is not an easy topic nor one many want to read
about, but Harvard Professor of the Social Sciences Matthew Desmond dives into
the subject in his new book entitled by the same name. Evicted:
Poverty and Profit in the American City takes a deep look into those being
evicted, landlords, and the history of how Milwaukee was at once a booming
place for good jobs but over time it gave way to poverty, crime, and
drugs. Desmond looks at the way
struggling members of Milwaukee, both in apartments and in mobile homes
struggle to make ends meet, often coming up with creative solutions to meet
their rents, working jobs for the landlords.
One example of this struggle to make rent is the story
of Lamar, a dishonorably discharged Navy veteran who lives in his small
apartment with his sons, playing cards at all hours of the night. Sharrena, Lamar’s landlord was betting on
Lamar making the cut for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for those with
mental and physical disabilities, but Lamar didn’t make the cut twice. Now, after years of working different jobs in
janitorial to forklift driver, having lost both legs, Lamar was up against some
heavy odds (24). After taking advantage
of Sharrena in a botched paint job, Lamar was still short over $200 on his
rent, coming up short thirty dollars again on his rent in the month written
about. All of the factors are at work
here in the life of Lamar, former drug abuse, sons needing care but getting
into cards and other activities, while Lamar cannot find a steady, good paying
job in the area in which he lives.
Another fascinating aspect of the book was the movers
involved with evicting renters. Sheriffs
would have to meet the moving crews at the location and make sure they were in the
right place. “Sheriff John liked to say,
“The first rule of evictions in never open the fridge (114).” At other times, the mess was left for the landlord
to clean up, a task worth more than the meager money she or he was paid by the owners. At times the renters were home, but often
they were not, knowing their fate before movers were at their residence.
At one time, Milwaukee was one of the most segregated
cities in America, being divided between North and Side sides, both
economically, but also racially. This
book is a fine expose on poverty, the effects of evictions on renters, and on
the perspective from the landlord.
Thanks to Blogging for Books and Crown for the copy of
this book in exchange for an honest review.
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