Eviction: How to Push Back on the Epidemic of Bad Data

“White property owners determine where Black tenants and homeowners get to live. The history of racial housing discrimination in the United States is well documented and has taken on almost every form imaginable—from redlining, to gerrymandering, to rejecting rental applicants with Black-sounding names.”

Just as I Suspected, Paying Rent Is Racist, Shelterforce, DiDi Delgado, July 26, 2017

“For example, if a person has a last name of ‘Jackson,’ there’s a higher probability that they’re African-American,” Thomas said. “But if they live in a white neighborhood [and their last name is Jackson], they’re likely to be white. In a black neighborhood, they’re likely to be black.”

Tim Thomas, eviction “researcher” on how he identified the race of people with eviction filings, One in 11 black residents were evicted from Seattle area since, 2004, researchers say, KUOW radio interview, February 7, 2019.

Have you had an eviction “study,” published in your state?

Local activists use the number of rental units in a jurisdiction and the number of eviction filings to create an average that is almost always higher than some other average, either the national average or some other benchmark. The “report” finds that since the average number of evictions is higher laws need to be changed to favor tenants. But usually the actual eviction number is a lot lower, the data is inconsistent and doesn’t support the conclusions drawn.

What should you do if an eviction study has been released?

First, demand the data and analyze it yourself. If you can’t use disclosure process or the groups won’t give the data, local courts have eviction filing data. Use the same methodology as the activists. What you’ll likely find is that they have selectively used quantitative and qualitative data to make the situation look much worse that it actually is. Do the math for yourself! Then share the difference between what you find – usually a big fall off between filings and removals – with the press and elected officials.

Maybe they’re right. It does seem like a lot of people have been evicted!

Don’t panic. The first question we all have to ask is, “How many people and households shouldbe evicted?” Their answer is always, zero. One thing you’ll find when you look closely at the data is that almost always, the biggest evictions come from local housing authorities and non-profits, not your private property owning members. Also, how many of the evictions are due to lease violations, not economic issues like not paying the rent? Remember, they pick the worst data; how many evictions have been usual in the past? You know that eviction is a last resort, awful, expensive, and not a good business model. Your members want happy, rent paying customers, not evictions.

How can Seattle For Growth help us push back on all this?

We’ve been fighting these activists for years, and just recently squashed one of these reports. We can offer consultation and support to analyze data, develop messaging, and get the facts in the record. If a report hasn’t been released in your state, one will be. Don’t wait. Give us a call!