A recent survey from a Detroit researcher has revealed that Black women disproportionately experience evictions in the city.

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Dr. Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson, a social epidemiologist at Ohio State University — and native Detroiter — surveyed nearly 1,500 Black women in Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties for the Social Epidemiology to Combat Unjust Residential Evictions (SECURE) Study. She found that more than half of the women who said they experienced eviction were forced out of their homes illegally.

A quarter of the participants said they were evicted during childhood. She also says the number of children a woman has increases their chances of eviction. 

“Eviction is not just a housing issue — it’s a public health crisis. It disrupts families and communities and causes intergenerational trauma,” Sealy-Jefferson wrote.

Other headlines for Thursday, May 22, 2025:

• Entrepreneurs looking to open a small business in Detroit may soon see less red tape. Two ordinances will be presented to city council this week aimed at streamlining business licensing in Detroit. The reforms will include eliminating the business licenses for restaurants and extending the permits to two years for other businesses.
• Many families are struggling to meet their basic needs in Wayne County, according to the latest ALICE Report from the Michigan Association of United Ways. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed. The organization found that just over half of households in Wayne County experienced financial instability in 2023. The rates were 38% in Macomb County and 31% in Oakland County.
• The Department of Insurance and Financial Services is warning residents to be wary of people offering services for repairs after a storm. Scammers often appear after disasters, promising quick repairs and asking for cash up front or refusing to give ID.
• The Belle Isle Conservancy shared plans for a public square at the park with the City Council this week. The conservancy and the state are wrapping up a preliminary design this month for the Belle Isle Commons.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.