Evicted Quiz 1 and 2

How easy was it for Scott and Teddy to find drugs in the trailer park?

Finding drugs was as easy as borrowing a cup of sugar from their neighbors.

Why did Arleen, Jori and Jafaris get evicted from their apartment?

Jori was followed home by a man who kicked in the door; the landlord kicked them out

Patrice Hinkston began her rental career with an eviction, but didn't give it much thought. She stated "Everybody I know, except for my white friends, I swear they got an eviction on their record." This type of reflective thinking about how one fits in with others around them would likely be of interest to a sociologist studying:

socialization and the self

A program called Emergency Assistance exists for families with dependent children at home and are at risk of "impending homelessness". Individuals could apply for these funds once every year if they are a US citizen, in possession of an eviction notice, at or below 115 percent of the poverty level, and could prove with divorce papers, a crime report, a pink slip, or some other documentation that they had experienced a sudden loss of income. Why did Lorraine not qualify for this program?

Lorraine does not have dependent children at home.

In researching the book, Desmond talks about the methods of getting to know the participants, gaining their trust, and gatthering the data. This meant spending long periods of time with them, many of whom were women? How did the men in these women's lives take to him?

Most were suspicious and didn't trust his motives.

Why is the research that is presented in the Evicted book so important?

Studies of evictions usually focus on jobs, public assistance, parenting and mass incarceration. This study focuses on housing and landlords, as well as tenants.

In chapter 4, Matthew Desmond explains that landlords such as Tobin have relatively low incentive to lower the rent, forgive a late payment, or spruce you their property. What explanation does he give for this low incentive?

There was a high demand for the cheapest housing, including trailer parks.

What is "the sick?"

Scott's term for withdrawl from drugs.

In 2013, 1 in 100 poor families nationwide were unable to pay all of their rent.

False

The other program in Milwaukee that can help with rent assistance is the Homelessness Prevention Program. This mainly federally funded program exists to help individuals who are "unlucky" such as those who are laid off or mugged, rather that those who are chronically rent burdened. Individuals must have landlord buy-in, and must demonstrate that their current income could cover future rents. Programs such as this are helpful, but have a fatal flaw that Matthew Desmond points out. What is that flaw?

For individuals in poverty, they often do not have landlord buy-in, or the ability to show that they had a sudden issue that arose. Instead, they are chronically struggling, and therefore do not meet the requirements for this much needed program.

On page 325, Desmond talks about how Vanetta admitted to playing dumb with her partner sometimes to avoid an argument. It then dawned on Desmond that she may have played dumb with him, too. He then explains that "everything about you - your race and gender, where and how you were raised, your temperament and disposition - can influence whom you meet, what is confided to you, what you are shown, and how you interpret what you see."

Hawthorne Effect

In chapter 8, the author explains that most tenants do not show up to eviction court, and that Sherrena -- the landlord -- prefers it that way. Why?

Tenants would bring up anything wrong with their residence, including things like the broken window that they had not fixed from months before (even though it was winter time). Sherrena feels that the commissioners are too sympathetic to the tenants and would rule against her.

What is the role of the Sheriff's Office in evictions?

The Sheriff's Office would enforce an eviction while a moving company removed the tenant's items.

After the eviction, Arleen and her boys stayed at a homeless shelter until they found a house on 19th and Hampton. They lived there for a few weeks, but then were told to leave. What was the reason they had to leave?

The city deemed the place unfit for human occupation and forced them to leave.

Evictions in American cities used to be rare, and when they occurred, they would draw crowds. often with the public trying to stop the eviction.

True

Matthew Desmond (author) lived in Tobin's trailer park for four months. While it was considered one of the nicer trailers, it did not have hot water.

True

Tenants often do not show up to eviction court, often because of transportation issues, lack of childcare, or having to work (such as when Patrice had to work and didn't want to lose her job).

True

The majority of poo renting families in America spend over half of their income on house, and at least one in four dedicates over 70 percent to paying the rent and keeping the lights on.

True

This study is considered an ________, which is a research design that includes studying an entire social setting through extended observation.

ethnography

Patrice Hinkston was intimidated by the courthouse because it was so fancy, and she would have to defend herself against someone more educated, more familiar with the law, and more comfortable in court. Patrice did her best not to go to parts of the city where she felt her existence questioned. Which theoretical perspective would be best to study this type of situation based on this information?

symbolic interactionist perspective