If you have someone who is paying 88 percent of her income on rent, and we have laws that allow a landlord to evict a tenant who falls behind under those circumstances, eviction becomes an inevitability.
Matthew DesmondRead
Arguably, the families most at need of housing assistance are systematically denied it because they're stamped with an eviction record. Moms and kids are bearing the brunt of those consequences.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Eviction records can prevent families in need from receiving housing assistance, impacting mothers and children the most.
The quote highlights the unfortunate reality that families, particularly single mothers and their children, who desperately require housing help often find themselves excluded from support due to having an eviction record. This systemic issue disproportionately affects vulnerable families and underscores the need for reforms in housing assistance policies to create a fairer system for those in need.
Themes
EvictionHousing AssistanceFamiliesChildrenJustice
In practice
Example use cases
In a community meeting discussing housing policies, this quote can be used to emphasize the need for reform in how eviction records are treated.
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All quotes →Do we believe housing is a right and that affordable housing is part of what it should mean to be an American? I say yes.
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Matthew DesmondRead
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