The High Cost of Eviction: Struggling to Contain a Growing Social Problem

Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, focused public attention on the issue of eviction. As a result, scholars have begun to investigate and challenge some of the assumptions made in the book. Primarily, is eviction the cause of poverty or one of its consequences? This article explores several options in an attempt to explain the high number of evictions in America. These include, among others, the lack of affordable housing, failed governmental policies, the rise of institutional landlords and the role of courts. The article highlights some interventions that have begun to show progress in easing the burden of eviction. In the end, however, the paper concludes that the solution lies in a re-thinking of the government’s role in housing. Our laws and court processes must be reformed to acknowledge the fundamental right of housing. Until our legal system considers the rights of tenants as at least equivalent to the rights of landlords, we will continue to see these staggering eviction numbers

The High Cost of Eviction: Struggling to Contain a Growing Social Problem

Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, focused public attention on the issue of eviction. As a result, scholars have begun to investigate and challenge some of the assumptions made in the book. Primarily, is eviction the cause of poverty or one of its consequences? This article explores several options in an attempt to explain the high number of evictions in America. These include, among others, the lack of affordable housing, failed governmental policies, the rise of institutional landlords and the role of courts. The article highlights some interventions that have begun to show progress in easing the burden of eviction. In the end, however, the paper concludes that the solution lies in a re-thinking of the government’s role in housing. Our laws and court processes must be reformed to acknowledge the fundamental right of housing. Until our legal system considers the rights of tenants as at least equivalent to the rights of landlords, we will continue to see these staggering eviction numbers

Maternal Characteristics and Child Problem Behaviors: A Comparison of Foster and Biological Mothers

The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare the parenting behavior, stress and support of foster mothers and biological mothers of young children. A sample of 60 mothers of young children (30 foster mothers, 30 biological mothers) completed measures of parenting behavior, parenting stress, child problem behaviors, and perceived social support. Findings indicated that biological mothers were single and younger than foster mothers. In addition, biological mothers utilized more verbal and corporal discipline than foster mothers, experienced greater parental distress and received less social support for their parenting. Implications of these findings are discussed

How to Kill a Zombie: Strategies for Dealing with the Aftermath of the Foreclosure Crisis

The foreclosure crisis which began in 2008 is old news; or is it? A lot of attention has been paid to the plight of homeowners struggling to save their homes from foreclosure. Legislative and regulatory changes have made it easier for homeowners to navigate the loss mitigation process. A significant number of people, however, did not try to save their homes. In fact, some actively tried unsuccessfully to give the homes back to their lender. These abandoned homes and abandoned foreclosures have become zombie mortgages. This is the legacy of this crisis.The existence of these homes is well documented and this paper does not seek to prove the problem. Instead, it analyzes some solutions. How can homeowners re-gain control of these homes in order to solve the urban plight problem the foreclosure crisis left in its wake? Current law does not anticipate a bank not seeking foreclosure. Should it? Courts are just beginning to grapple with the situation. No consistent patterns have emerged to deal with the issues. The mortgage industry has argued throughout this crisis that delays in judicial foreclosure are one of the causes of this phenomena. The data has failed to support this hypothesis. On the contrary, this paper argues that the industry used every legal maneuver possible to exacerbate the problem. Lenders have been allowed to enjoy the benefits of the mortgage, while avoiding the burdens. Changes in policy and perception are needed if we are ever to move pass the crisis

How to Kill a Zombie: Strategies for Dealing with the Aftermath of the Foreclosure Crisis

The foreclosure crisis which began in 2008 is old news; or is it? A lot of attention has been paid to the plight of homeowners struggling to save their homes from foreclosure. Legislative and regulatory changes have made it easier for homeowners to navigate the loss mitigation process. A significant number of people, however, did not try to save their homes. In fact, some actively tried unsuccessfully to give the homes back to their lender. These abandoned homes and abandoned foreclosures have become zombie mortgages. This is the legacy of this crisis.The existence of these homes is well documented and this paper does not seek to prove the problem. Instead, it analyzes some solutions. How can homeowners re-gain control of these homes in order to solve the urban plight problem the foreclosure crisis left in its wake? Current law does not anticipate a bank not seeking foreclosure. Should it? Courts are just beginning to grapple with the situation. No consistent patterns have emerged to deal with the issues. The mortgage industry has argued throughout this crisis that delays in judicial foreclosure are one of the causes of this phenomena. The data has failed to support this hypothesis. On the contrary, this paper argues that the industry used every legal maneuver possible to exacerbate the problem. Lenders have been allowed to enjoy the benefits of the mortgage, while avoiding the burdens. Changes in policy and perception are needed if we are ever to move pass the crisis

Forgotten Borrowers: Protecting Private Student Loan Borrowers Through State Law

Private student loan borrowers arguably have the fewest protections of any users of credit in the United States. In a scarcely debated amendment to federal bankruptcy law in 2005, private student lenders gained the same protections against discharge previously afforded to federal student lenders. Yet private student loan borrowers received none of the rights available to federal student loan borrowers. These include income-driven repayment, relief from repayment on disability, loan discharge for fraud or closed schools, and public service loan forgiveness. Private student loan borrowers thus have neither the bankruptcy protections afforded to nonstudent loan debtors nor the repayment and debt relief rights of student borrowers under the federal loan program. This lack of consumer protection has particular consequence when considering the plight of for-profit school students saddled with private student loans. Some of the worst abuses in the proliferation of higher education debt have been perpetrated against for-profit school attendees. The vast majority of private student loans are cosigned, typically by older family members. This combination of private student loans and for-profit school attendance impacts a much broader range of consumers than would a comparable number of federal student loans. We suggest two types of state legislation to protect these debtors. For prospective for-profit school private borrowers, we propose incorporating some of the protections of federal student loans through the use of a state equivalent to the Federal Trade Commission “Holder Rule.” For all private student loans, we propose a requirement that private lenders engage in a mandatory settlement process, similar to those used by states during the recent foreclosure crisis, as a prerequisite to using state courts for debt collection

Factors associated with spontaneous clearance of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Background & Aims: Spontaneous clearance of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (CHC) is rare. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to identify rates and factors associated with spontaneous clearance of CHC. Methods: We defined cases as individuals who spontaneously resolved CHC, and controls as individuals who remained chronically infected. We used data obtained on HCV testing between 1994 and 2013 in the West of Scotland to infer case/control status. Specifically, untreated patients with ⩾2 sequential samples positive for HCV RNA ⩾6 months apart followed by ⩾1 negative test, and those with ⩾2 positive samples ⩾6 months apart with no subsequent negative samples were identified. Control patients were randomly selected from the second group (4/patient of interest). Case notes were reviewed and patient characteristics obtained. Results: 25,113 samples were positive for HCV RNA, relating to 10,318 patients. 50 cases of late spontaneous clearance were identified, contributing 241 person-years follow-up. 2,518 untreated, chronically infected controls were identified, contributing 13,766 person-years follow-up, from whom 200 controls were randomly selected. The incidence rate of spontaneous clearance was 0.36/100 person-years follow-up, occurring after a median 50 months’ infection. Spontaneous clearance was positively associated with female gender, younger age at infection, lower HCV RNA load and co-infection with hepatitis B virus. It was negatively associated with current intravenous drug use. Conclusions: Spontaneous clearance of CHC occurs infrequently but is associated with identifiable host and viral factors. More frequent HCV RNA monitoring may be appropriate in selected patient groups. Lay summary: Clearance of hepatitis C virus infection without treatment occurs rarely once chronic infection has been established. We interrogated a large Scottish patient cohort and found that it was more common in females, patients infected at a younger age or with lower levels of HCV in the blood, and patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus. Patients who injected drugs were less likely to spontaneously clear chronic infection