More Americans Are Getting Evicted Than Ever Before

[Savonarola]

To be fair the article doesn't actually blame landlords.  It "blames" unaffordable housing, saying that when people are spending 70 or 80% of their income on rent it becomes almost inevitable that you won't be able to pay your rent and be evicted.

If only we would have listened.   

[Martinus]

This is the area where the state should intervene - but not by setting rent controls on private property but by building municipal low rent housing (or subsidising it if built by private people).

[The Minsky Moment]

I also agree with Tim. I too think it is disgraceful that people enter into contracts they then refuse to perform. What happened to "pacta sunt servanda"? 

Efficient breach FTW

[lustindarkness]

If only we would have listened.   

Is that a Dr Seuss character?

[garbon]

This is the area where the state should intervene - but not by setting rent controls on private property but by building municipal low rent housing (or subsidising it if built by private people).

Will still lead to housing being unaffordable for those who aren't suffering from poverty but also not wealthy.

[Savonarola]

If only we would have listened.   

Is that a Dr Seuss character?

Jimmy McMillan
Is not a villain
In fact
he acts
With decorum and tact
And if you ask him why
He'll reply
In the blink of an eye
It's because the rent is too damn high

New York City
Is not very pretty
There's bums in the street
And rats at your feet
And taxi cab fleets
That run you over
If you don't duck and cover
But Jimmy McMillan
Who still isn't a villain
Will be happy to fill in
For you the reason why
It's because the rent is too damn high

[Capetan Mihali]

I read this as "More Americans Are Getting Excited Than Ever Before" and had to concur.

And yes, there should be appointed counsel in eviction proceedings among other civil (and quasi-civil) court actions (child support arrears and restraining order hearings, for instance).

[The Brain]

As long as there is an empty house in Detroit I refuse to believe in an American housing problem.

[LaCroix]

And yes, there should be appointed counsel in eviction proceedings among other civil (and quasi-civil) court actions (child support arrears and restraining order hearings, for instance).

how much would this cost?

[Capetan Mihali]

And yes, there should be appointed counsel in eviction proceedings among other civil (and quasi-civil) court actions (child support arrears and restraining order hearings, for instance).

how much would this cost?

A lot.   How much do appointed criminal defense attorneys cost?  Justice isn't cheap.

EDIT:  And keep in mind multiple lawyers are appointed in family court proceedings where the State is involved.  Half the reason it was so miserable was that there were 5.5 lawyers in the room -- mom's, dad's, DCF's, the ADA, the child's, and the GAL.

[LaCroix]

A lot.   How much do appointed criminal defense attorneys cost?  Justice isn't cheap.

EDIT:  And keep in mind multiple lawyers are appointed in family court proceedings where the State is involved.  Half the reason it was so miserable was that there were 5.5 lawyers in the room -- mom's, dad's, DCF's, the ADA, the child's, and the GAL.

so, a fundamental right to counsel in family matters (including evictions, etc.)? http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/spdp07.pdf shows a median of 163 public defenders per state. or 8,150 PDs across the nation. if we put the average PD salary at $60,000 (is this reasonable?), that's about half a billion. this assumes a similar need as with criminal cases, though I suspect there'd be an overall higher need for family matters than criminal

[Capetan Mihali]

Double or triple that money estimate if you actually want to meet Due Process and Sixth Amendment standards in criminal proceedings in most states, while continuing to charge the same number of people, i.e. the number of public defenders per capita is woefully low, as is well known, and lots of states don't use public defenders per se, but contract attorneys often paid by the case (giving them an obvious incentive to "greet 'em and plead 'em" as we said).

We manage to give Israel $3 billion a year in military aid, so I have no reason to think a couple billion a year to ensure adequate representation for Americans in court would be a fiscal problem.

[Capetan Mihali]

Try to find the average number of minutes spent per client for appointed cases, while you're looking for statistics.  Indigent representation in criminal court is an open disgrace, and all those lawyers *already* have to be appointed in any family court case where DCF wants to take custody of a child in any way (not just physical custody).

[LaCroix]

let's say $3 billion. now, what would this change? would your standard eviction hearing be any different with an overburdened public defender/contracted attorney present? would the cost make a material impact on improving poor people lives?

I assume our $3 billion aid to our ally has a material impact on our ally.

[Admiral Yi]

Yeah, I wouldn't guess most (all?) eviction hearings involve intricate legal issues. 

"You're 90 days late on rent."

"My client is very sorry your honor and promises to do better."