The Dark Side of Development
Development is often seen as a word full of hope. It conjures up images of water pumps and rice banks, bridges and education, smiling children and sky-scraping financial institutions. But there is a dark side to development, too.
During a period of massive economic growth and urban transformation, many cities have become more prone to evictions than ever before. As a result, many people who live in poor neighborhoods are forced to relocate. This residential mobility can have a long-lasting impact on their lives and on their neighborhoods as well.
The consequences of evictions are often not only devastating to families, but also have disproportionately damaging effects on the lives of women and children. In fact, women are 16 percent more likely to be evicted than men and Black women are evicted at nearly twice the rate of white women.
The Dark Side of Development: The Unseen Consequences of Piacenza’s Evictions
In addition, evictions have a major effect on homelessness and residential mobility. The vast majority of those evicted from their homes end up in temporary housing, which is usually not long-term or permanent. This impacts their health and mental well-being, their ability to pay for housing, and their connections with neighbors (Duvuox, 2012).
Moreover, evictions can be costly to tenants and landlords alike. A recent study found that a single eviction costs an average of $6,500 to $8,000 for the property owner. This cost includes the rent, legal fees, and the costs of preparing for an eviction.
As a result, some people living in poor neighborhoods are forced to move frequently and this affects their income, educational attainment and overall well-being. This can lead to a decline in their social networks and a reduction in their chances of graduating from high school.
This type of residential mobility also increases the rates of delinquency among adolescents, which negatively affects their future economic opportunities. This can be a serious threat to the future economic prosperity of communities and should be addressed immediately.
While some of these problems are a direct consequence of evictions, others are caused by other factors as well. For example, evictions can make it difficult for people to qualify for government-run housing programs as past evictions are often counted as “strikes” against applications.
Another problem is that evictions can negatively affect job security for workers and their families. For example, a study found that workers who were evicted were more likely to be laid off than their non-evicted counterparts.
The same is true for workers in low-wage sectors such as fast food, retail and manufacturing. For these industries, a decline in jobs can put them at risk of falling behind on payments for basic necessities such as housing and utilities.
The dark side of development is not just about the consequences of evictions, but about the ways in which it leads to poverty and insecurity. Ultimately, it is the social and political costs of development that must be tackled and addressed by governments around the world.
