Philly Plain Dealer

In 2018, Judith Robinson, a local real estate broker in the city, attended her usual Registered Community Organization (RCO) meeting at the North Central Church on 19th street and Susquehanna Avenue.  What she didn’t expect to hear was an alarming statistic reported by Philadelphia native Rasheedah Phillips, guest speaker at the community meeting . Phillips, who was a former managing attorney for the Tenant Housing unit at Community Legal Services, from 2008 to 2021  in Philadelphia,  reported that “ African American women with children make up 70% of the eviction rate in Philadelphia,”. 

“ I was shocked, I didn’t know the rate was that high. I know that we have major housing issues, but I didn’t think women with children made up that much of the rate. After hearing this I testified in city council, in hearings, and wherever there was a conversation about housing and that stat. I would speak on it anytime I had an opportunity. Women history month, any time I got an opportunity to talk about black women and in fact our community,” Judith Robinson, local real estate broker and community activist

Robinson, born in the strawberry mansion neighborhood , is a Philadelphia activist and manages the 32nd ward RCO in North Philadelphia from Susquehanna avenue to Oxford street. For years, she has spoken at many housing council meetings, women’s activist community groups and other associated meetings.  

Judith expressed her frustration by saying that when she spoke about this statistic and topic in most of the meetings she attended, not one person wanted to know anything further about the statistic. No politicians, no council members or anyone in the public audience would engage her about this topic.

Robinson lives close to the Woodstock Shelter, which pre pandemic was an all women’s shelter. Post pandemic it is now an emergency shelter for homeless single parents with children and intact families (with a focus on women). She expressed how upsetting it is to see so many mothers and children with no housing currently in the shelter, but yet, the city has found ways to house other groups and demographics with subsidized or reduced rental housing.  

“How is it that there can be subsidized and other specific housing for other ethnic and identity groups. But none at all specifically for women with children. Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) needs an investigation. They are doing commercial real estate and using eminent domain. But have all this vacant land? But not focusing on housing tenants. There 81,000 tenants, a lot of which are African american. And yet, they can’t focus on tenants and housing, ” Robinson Said

She relayed that till this day as involved as she is, she still hasn’t seen or heard any significant change in this matter. 

The Data

The statistic stated by Rasheedah Phillips in 2018, came from a mixture of reports from the Reinvestment Fund, Community Legal Services (CLS) and other organizations that work with landlord and tenant evictions.

 There is a similarity between Philadelphia housing statistics and nationwide numbers regarding racial disparities when it comes to Black or Brown Women with children being evicted. 

 According to a study on Philadelphia evictions from the Reinvestment Fund prior to the pandemic,there were 20,000 evictions filed each year in landlord tenant court in Philadelphia. A closer look at the demographic overlay shows it’s black women with children who lead the eviction rate in the city. This number ran true for Community Legal Services as well as other organizations.

These numbers are all determined from CLS client data, Reinvestment fund and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) numbers, and similar statistics for reports done in New York City and Ohio.

The pandemic disrupted some of that percentage because of protections and slowed down proceedings in landlord tenant courts. However, the majority of evictions were happening to African-American women. 

After the termination of most pandemic-related renter supports, disparities in eviction filings and occurrences persist. Black women, who faced higher rates of job loss during the pandemic  and experienced one of the most severe wage gaps in the United States, are now more vulnerable to eviction and housing insecurity than they were prior to the pandemic. (American Progress)

On a national scale

Rasheedah Phillips continued by saying that whether we’re looking nationally or looking at local numbers, it tends to be that black women are generally disproportionately affected. Rasheedah relayed that the statistics haven’t changed that much, and they’re about the same. The excerpts below support her statement. 

Data from a 2020 national study of evictions found that women—especially Black and Latinx women—are disproportionately targeted for eviction.The number of women evicted is 16% higher than the number of men evicted (across the 1,195 counties studied, 341,756 women were evicted, compared with 294,908 men). Black women face eviction filings at

nearly twice the rate of white women.Black women are also more likely to have a case filed against them that is later dismissed. These trends hold true across the U.S.: Four out of five Black renters live in a county where landlords disproportionately file eviction cases against Black people. Accordingly, Black women are the group most likely to be harmed by evictions and policies that screen out housing applicants with prior evictions.(ACLU) 

In this same study conducted, it was found that, The absolute and relative disparities in total evictions were greatest for Black renters. 113,415 women evicted compared to 83,182 men . 36.3% more black women than black men. (Eviction Lab) 

Programs and Solutions

In an USA Today article, there is a reference to Philadelphia’s Eviction Diversion Program. 

The program has had “quite a bit of success,”. The purpose of the program being to settle disagreements between landlords and tenants outside of court and without an eviction filing. 

But will this be enough? 

“Right here in the 32nd ward, there are so many vacant PHA properties. Why can’t these be cleaned, repurposed and reoccupied to this demographic. They are women with children,”. Said Robinson

Judith stated as a real estate broker, she is familiar with the lay of the land and understands difficulties behind land distribution. But she does believe that with some effort the city government, PHA and other housing organizations can pull together to bring some relief to this demographic. 

 “I was a single mother, and had a problem paying rent. Now I sell real estate, I was surviving off food stamps and welfare. I fulfilled my goal but never forget and know what can be done by the city,” Said Robinson

With new Mayor Cherelle Parker taking office the hope is that there she will continue the effort to address this issue.