Tracking Milwaukee Evictions
Raphael Ramos
Legal Action of Wisconsin
Branden DuPont
Medical College of Wisconsin
Legal Action of Wisconsin’s
Eviction Defense Project
- Legal Action is the largest non-profit civil legal aid provider in the state
- The EDP provides free, volunteer based, representation to tenants facing eviction
- This representation goes beyond the brief advice that characterizes most limited scope representation clinics. Volunteers are able to advocate for their clients in court.
Eviction Database Background
- Eviction database developed as a joint partnership
- Common Council and City, Alderman Kovac in particular for sponsoring the development of this work
- Stemmed from the need to identify basic eviction data
- Created to inform the public and to identify trends and patterns to aid in resolution of systemic issues
Eviction as a Social Determinant of Health
- Displacement
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Children
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Education – Increased absences due to instability or school changes due to relocation
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Direct correlation between ER visits for children and housing instability
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Adults
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Education
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Employment
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Difficulty getting new job without permanent address
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Risk of losing current job due to housing instability, relocation, transportation, etc.
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Health
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Housing conditions (worsened by cycle of eviction) like lack of heat, mold, infestations, etc. lead to health issues
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Mental Health (perceptions of procedural fairness)
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Family
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Families can be separated or forced into unsafe housing conditions due to housing instability
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Neighborhoods see increased crime in areas with high turnover and lack of community
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The Mark of Eviction
- The only eviction record that was previously available that mattered to landlords and tenants: CCAP
- CCAP is publicly accessible (LLs use it to review)
- Eviction is the modern day scarlet letter and negatively impacts long-term housing options
- From actual landlord application site: “No Prior Evictions, No Exceptions”
The Justice Gap
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How many evictions in Milwaukee County per year?
- 13,985 in 2018 | 14,077 in 2017 | 13,457 in 2016
- Approximately 34,000 people impacted by eviction in 2018
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How often are landlords represented by counsel?
- In 2016, slightly more than 50% of landlords were represented by an attorney
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How many tenants had representation in 2016?
- Less than 1% of tenants in eviction filings, 112 out of 13,457, were represented by counsel in 2016
- This data has, historically, been unavailable to the general public
Datashare @ MCW IHE = Local IDS
What Was Built
- Automated database that maintains Milwaukee eviction records
- Pipeline that assigns evictions to an address and taxkey
- Series of visualizations on aggregate eviction metrics
- Parcel level map of eviction filings
- Eviction records with building code violations issued within 90 days as well as open at the time of filing
Reception
- Featured in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Next City, & The Sunlight Foundation
- Viz Interactions > 60,000
- Article Shared publicly > 650
Outcomes & Policy Changes
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Provide stakeholders with a key source of data to inform housing policy and understand drivers of eviction
- DCD, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Eviction Prevention Coalition,
- Understand relationship between habitability of rental housing and evictions
Where Can I Find These Resources?
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Eviction Defense Project
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Milwaukee County Courthouse (Room 411) 12:00pm Mondays, Thursdays, and certain Wednesdays and Fridays
Call 414.278.7722 to check availability. First come, first served. Tenants should come at 12:00pm.
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- Track Milwaukee Evictions:
Milwaukee Community Development Alliance
By Branden DuPont
Milwaukee Community Development Alliance
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