Many Evictions Are Informal or Illegal—Just-Cause Protections Can Help
When just-cause protections are in place, landlords need a valid reason, like non-payment of rent, to evict a tenant.
J. Patrick Patterson
just cause e•vic•tion
noun
1. a law that protects renters from being arbitrarily kicked out of their homes
How big is the eviction problem?
Millions of people are evicted in the United States each year. Many of these evictions are informal or illegal; for example, a landlord simply changes the locks without notice. An additional 7.6 million evictions are threatened annually, according to data from the Eviction Lab.
Just-cause laws are, in part, a response to “no-fault” evictions: in which a landlord wants a tenant out even though they have paid their rent and followed the rules — sometimes, as part of a plan to displace longtime residents and dramatically raise rents. Black and brown people, immigrants, and people with children also face disproportionate risks of eviction, raising concerns about inequity and discrimination. Just-cause laws, according to research from the Eviction Lab, decrease eviction rates by limiting how a landlord can file for eviction or refuse to renew a lease.
Seems good for organizing.
Yes, just-cause laws add a layer of protection so renters can’t be evicted for simply complaining about delayed repairs, for example. With the fear of eviction hanging over their heads, people are less likely to stick their necks out to demand safer, healthier living conditions or form tenant unions. Landlords have a lot of power over tenants’ living conditions, and just-cause laws shift some of that power back into the hands of renters, promoting housing stability and better quality of life. Landlords still maintain their right to evict people for legitimate lease violations and nonpayment.
How widely adopted are they?
Ten states, Washington, D.C., and 27 localities have passed just-cause eviction laws, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Connecticut is considering whether to expand its legislation to include all renters instead of just older adults and disabled tenants. The Chicago Housing Justice Coalition is currently fighting for a just-cause eviction law, as “no-fault evictions are commonplace” and increase “displacement and gentrification” in many neighborhoods, according to the campaign website.
The laws are likely to face opposition from the real estate lobby. The Chicago Association of Realtors, for example, generally opposes just-cause laws, saying they don’t protect tenants and burden people providing housing. But advocates argue cities have an important stake here, as evictions lead to lost revenue and higher costs for social services. According to the Chicago Housing Justice Coalition, “a family’s human rights to stable and secure house” must come before “the property interests of a landlord.”
This is part of “The Big Idea,” a series offering brief introductions to progressive theories, policies, tools and strategies that can help us envision a world beyond capitalism.
J. Patrick Patterson is the Associate Editor at In These Times. He has previously worked as a politics editor, copy editor, fact-checker and reporter. His writing on economic policies and electoral politics has been published in numerous outlets.
