An eviction, which is the expulsion of a tenant from rental property by a landlord, is an action that is often unpleasant. In Cold City, Matthew Desmond shines a light on the woes of eviction that tenants faced in the U.S. in the advent of the recession, whose impacts extended to the year 2013. This was after its emergence in 2007 and its end in 2009. Inferably, there are numerous factors that can lead to an eviction, but the major ones that emerge are property damage, and the failure to pay rent. On the one hand, voluntary eviction is moral, because the landlord and the tenant have an agreement, which is a written lease at the signing. Moreover, it is flexible for both parties. On the other hand, involuntary eviction has a tendency of becoming illegal, particularly when the tenant is not informed about the process. The landlord gives the tenant a notice spanning one payment period and initiates legal proceedings to accompany the process. However, the landlord may end up defecting from the legal process. An eviction is legal, but it is essential to consider the financial and social status of the tenant.
Property damage is a crucial factor that compels landlords to evict tenants. When a man breaks down the door to Arleen's apartment, the landlord is furious about the property damage, and she decides to evict Arleen and her sons (Desmond 207). While a landlord has the power to initiate an eviction, this particular action is not morally acceptable. In the event of property damage or nonpayment of rent, the landlord should seek a court order for him or her to initiate the process of eviction. The eviction proceedings are suitable when the tenant uses the premises illegally or fails to pay rent as per the signed agreement. In the legal process, the landlord serves the tenant, and the tenant is obliged to attend the hearing, failure to which he or she loses.
According to the United Nations Human Settlement Programme, mass expulsions, population transfers, and other actions that encompass the involuntary displacement of tenants constitute forced evictions. Furthermore, if not properly managed, forced evictions may lead to the impoverishment of the affected persons and the entire community of people. While the excerpt does not illustrate an instance of forced eviction, it is clear that other outcomes also accompany involuntary eviction. For example, in Desmond's excerpt, Arleen and her sons are forced to agonize in the cold because on the day that they have to be out, it was still in winter. Inevitably, she is unable to extend her stay because the landlord would summon the sheriff who would be accompanied by movers and bear a court order. Since the landlord does not consider the financial capability of Arlee...
