“I’m not a
bad person,” says Mary, “I just fell on some hard times.”
“I’m not a bad person,” says Jane, “I just need to protect my investment.”
Through
the case study of Mary and Jane, I was exposed to the realities of eviction
court for the first time. Facing the harsh realities of both the tenant and the
landlord, deciding what is fair and what is just leads to different outcomes of
the situation. The conversation around this particular study ended up with two
separate outcomes: one that sympathizes Mary’s situation and one where Jane’s,
and the court’s, actions are right.
Mary found
herself in a tight situation – paying $900/month for her, her boyfriend, and her
two teenage boys. She had been struggling with money since her boyfriend had
been laid off, paying four months of rent late. Due to her financial issues, it
is easy to sympathize with Mary. She was solely responsible for all finances,
working as much as she could just to make ends meet. However, her complaints
about Jane, her landlord, did not sympathize, or even suggest, that Jane, too,
could be having financial troubles.
Jane,
having recently purchased the duplex, had incredible financial priorities,
pocketing only $400/month after both rent payments. She allowed Mary to pay her
rent late near the time of her boyfriend being laid off, but realized the line
had to be drawn somewhere. Each month Jane paid taxes, utilities, repairs,
mortgage, insurance, and interest. Not receiving Mary’s rent would mean Jane
must pay $500 out of pocket.
It is easy
to sympathize with Mary, because her situation was not entirely her fault. She
worked hard continuously and had found herself in a rough patch. It would be
fair to allow Mary to stay, however, it would not be just.
This
situation brings to light many landlord and tenant relations that I have never
experienced. Having minimal knowledge of housing court and knowing of evictions
only from television and movies, I find it relatively easy to differentiate the
fair resolution from the just resolution. Having never experienced Mary’s
situation, it is easier for me to identify with Jane. I see her logic and her leniency
leading up to the eviction as Mary’s second (and third, and fourth) chance.
The
discussion in class raised controversy of what is important in the story and
what holes there are. The majority of people, siding with Mary, feel the
sympathy and explain themselves in terms of humanity and the human experience.
I believe this is truly valuable, however, I think there’s too much that we don’t
know in terms of Mary’s situation to say that her eviction was a mistake.
Mary’s
eviction is the just resolution, but it is not the fair one.