Justice
Why Landlords File for Eviction (Hint: It’s Usually Not to Evict)
Most of the time, a new study finds, landlords file for eviction because it tilts the power dynamic in their favor—not because they want to eject their tenants.
On a Thursday morning last December, Katrina Porter woke up to get dressed earlier than usual. She pulled back her hair, put on black pants, a tie, and a uniform sweater from the local museum where she works as a security guard. She dropped her son off at 7:30 a.m., though she’d still be several hours late for work. First, she had to make it to Baltimore rent court by 8.
Katrina, like thousands of people a year, showed up to Baltimore’s rent court to dispute an eviction filing.