Kicking out tenants

Neighborhood groups sometimes fought against sub-standard housing, not because it was bad for the tenants, but because it was bad for the neighborhood.

They were often happy when judges ordered buildings vacated or even demolished, believing it was a way to punish landlords by taking away their rent-paying tenants while eliminating sub-standard housing from the neighborhood.

But it was a horrible decision for the tenants. Even though the city Tenant Relocation Bureau tried to help them find new apartments, they may have had to move to less safe areas, far from their jobs, and not within their kids’ school attendance districts.

Neighborhood groups didn’t always think about that when fighting against sub-standard housing.