Black moms and pregnant women forced out of their homes in metro Detroit face health and safety threats

Black mothers and pregnant women in the Detroit area are being forced out of their homes, facing significant health and safety risks. This occurs despite the state of Michigan's requirement that landlords need a court order to evict a tenant. A formal eviction process, involving multiple steps and requiring a judge's order, is mandated by law.

However, this process is often bypassed by landlords, leading to severe consequences for the affected families. My research, conducted in collaboration with a diverse group of Black women leaders, reveals that illegal evictions can severely impact the reproductive justice rights of Black women. Nearly one-third of the pregnant or postpartum women in my study reported losing their homes due to illegal evictions, and many experienced violence during these evictions.

Additionally, children of these mothers have been found to suffer from various health issues, including low birth weight, premature birth, and developmental delays. The study emphasizes the need for policies and programs that not only address the issue of evictions but also specifically protect against illegal evictions, particularly for mothers and their children.