According to Desmond's findings, which of the following is a factor contributing to eviction?

According to Desmond's findings, which of the following is a factor contributing to eviction?

• A. Landlords force out tenants they don't want
• B. Tenants failing to pay rent due to unemployment
• C. Neighborhood crime rates
• D. Zoning restrictions

Answer: (A)

Desmond’s findings highlight eviction as a tool used by landlords, not just a consequence of tenants falling behind on rent. He shows that landlords often push out tenants they don’t want in order to clear the unit for a more profitable tenant, raise rents, or reposition the property. Eviction, in his ethnographic work, operates as a business practice within the housing market, supported by courts and the threat of force, rather than being driven solely by tenants’ financial troubles. So the most fitting factor is the landlord’s decision to force out tenants they don’t want, because it captures the proactive, profit-driven nature of eviction that Desmond documents. While unemployment-related nonpayment can lead to eviction in some cases, Desmond argues that the central dynamic is landlord control and intent to remove specific tenants. Crime rates or zoning restrictions aren’t portrayed as the primary forces shaping eviction in his study.

Desmond’s findings highlight eviction as a tool used by landlords, not just a consequence of tenants falling behind on rent. He shows that landlords often push out tenants they don’t want in order to clear the unit for a more profitable tenant, raise rents, or reposition the property. Eviction, in his ethnographic work, operates as a business practice within the housing market, supported by courts and the threat of force, rather than being driven solely by tenants’ financial troubles. So the most fitting factor is the landlord’s decision to force out tenants they don’t want, because it captures the proactive, profit-driven nature of eviction that Desmond documents. While unemployment-related nonpayment can lead to eviction in some cases, Desmond argues that the central dynamic is landlord control and intent to remove specific tenants. Crime rates or zoning restrictions aren’t portrayed as the primary forces shaping eviction in his study.