--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These days, there are sheriff squads…" description: "\"“These days, there are sheriff squads whose full-time job is to carry out eviction and foreclosure orders. There are moving companies specializing in e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/matthew-desmond-1529_housing_these-days-there-are-sheriff-squads-whos_2314653.jpg" --- # These days, there are sheriff squads whose full-time job… ![“These days, there are sheriff squads whose full-time job is to carry out eviction and foreclosure orders. There are moving companies specializing in evictions, their crews working all day, every weekday. There are hundreds of data-mining companies that sell landlords tenant screening reports…” quote by Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/matthew-desmond-1529_housing_these-days-there-are-sheriff-squads-whos_2314653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/matthew-desmond-1529_housing_these-days-there-are-sheriff-squads-whos_2314653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/matthew-desmond-1529_housing_these-days-there-are-sheriff-squads-whos_2314653.jpg) > ““These days, there are sheriff squads whose full-time job is to carry out eviction and foreclosure orders. There are moving companies specializing in evictions, their crews working all day, every weekday. There are hundreds of data-mining companies that sell landlords tenant screening reports listing past evictions and court filings.2 These days, housing courts swell, forcing commissioners to settle cases in hallways or makeshift offices crammed with old desks and broken file cabinets—and most tenants don’t even show up. Low-income families have grown used to the rumble of moving trucks, the early-morning knocks at the door, the belongings lining the curb. Families”” [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The eviction industry has become a profit‑driven system that normalizes housing instability for low‑income families. **In simple terms:** Evictions are a profitable industry that harms poor families. Key Takeaway Address systemic eviction practices. Themes housing insecurity economic inequality profit motive systemic injustice urban policy Mood urgent somber critical Type social critique documentary policy analysis When to use this quote - low‑income housing - legal reform - community organizing - tenant advocacy Key Concepts neoliberal economics social stratification public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can communities disrupt profit‑driven evictions? - What policies could protect vulnerable tenants? A Different Perspective Market forces may resist regulation, making reform politically challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carry Eviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carry-eviction-3988288/) [Eviction Foreclosure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eviction-foreclosure-3988289/) [Evictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evictions-1600500/) [Evictions Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evictions-crews-2375202/) [Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Moving Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-companies-213106/) [Past Evictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-evictions-5510551/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [These days, there are sheriff squads whose full-time job is to carry out eviction and foreclosure orders. There are moving companies specializing in evictions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/these-days-there-are-sheriff-squads-whose-full-time-job-is-to-carry-2/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [There are moving companies specializing in evictions, their crews working all day, every weekday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/there-are-moving-companies-specializing-in-evictions-their-crews/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Evictions used to be rare in this country. They used to draw crowds. There are scenes in literature where you can come upon an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/evictions-used-to-be-rare-in-this-country-they-used-to-draw-crowds/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“Trailer park residents rarely raised a fuss about a neighbor’s eviction, whether that person was a known drug addict or not. Evictions were deserved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/trailer-park-residents-rarely-raised-a-fuss-about-a-neighbor-s/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [There were evictions that I saw that I know I'll never forget. In one case, the sheriff and the movers came up on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/there-were-evictions-that-i-saw-that-i-know-i-ll-never-forget-in-one/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Evictions cause job loss. Because it's such a destabilizing, stressful event, they lose their footing in the labor market. It has big impacts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/evictions-cause-job-loss-because-it-s-such-a-destabilizing-stressful/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“Often, evicted families also lose the opportunity to benefit from public housing because Housing Authorities count evictions and unpaid debt as strikes when reviewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/often-evicted-families-also-lose-the-opportunity-to-benefit-from/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Since evictions go through court, it has a record that comes with it, and many landlords that I spend time with use that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/since-evictions-go-through-court-it-has-a-record-that-comes-with-it/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Most cities don't have a just cause eviction law. Most allow no cause evictions, as well as evictions for nonpayment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/most-cities-don-t-have-a-just-cause-eviction-law-most-allow-no-cause/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Just strictly from a business standpoint, kids are a liability to landlords, and they actually provoke evictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/just-strictly-from-a-business-standpoint-kids-are-a-liability-to/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Child Protection Services can get all up in your business if you have kids. Just strictly from a business standpoint, kids are a liability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/child-protection-services-can-get-all-up-in-your-business-if-you-have/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [If we care about family stability, if we care about community stability, then we need fewer evictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-we-care-about-family-stability-if-we-care-about-community/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“In Milwaukee, a city of fewer than 105,000 renter households, landlords evict roughly 16,000 adults and children each year. That's sixteen families evicted through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/in-milwaukee-a-city-of-fewer-than-105-000-renter-households-landlords/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Moving quotes ,moving estimates ,find best moving and best moving companies in your area.amd save up to 50% off your move !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wwwmovingrelocationcom/moving-quotes-moving-estimates-find-best-moving-and-best-moving/) [Wwwmovingrelocationcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wwwmovingrelocationcom/) > [Occupational licensing laws - in trades like moving companies, realtors, hair dressers, limousine services, beauticians, physical therapy, and on and on - stunt small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/occupational-licensing-laws-in-trades-like-moving-companies-realtors/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) ## More by Matthew Desmond > [I don't think we can fix poverty without fixing housing, and I don't think we can address housing without understanding landlords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-don-t-think-we-can-fix-poverty-without-fixing-housing-and-i-don-t/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [If we continue to tolerate this level of poverty in our cities, and go along with eviction as commonplace in poor neighborhoods, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-we-continue-to-tolerate-this-level-of-poverty-in-our-cities-and-go/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [You see one eviction, and you're overcome, but then there's another one and another one and another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/you-see-one-eviction-and-you-re-overcome-but-then-there-s-another-one/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When I talk to booksellers, they tell me how hard it is to hand-sell some of my books because I do keep popping around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/when-i-talk-to-booksellers-they-tell-me-how-hard-it-is-to-hand-sell/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Housing being a top-order issue for cities is something that's not trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-being-a-top-order-issue-for-cities-is-something-that-s-not/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [I think that we value fairness in this country. 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I think there are ways that we can do this that don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-there-are-ways-that-graduate-students-can-fact-check-their/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Fire itself is very beautiful, and there's an attachment to fire that firefighters have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/fire-itself-is-very-beautiful-and-there-s-an-attachment-to-fire-that/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“Sherrena nodded reassuringly and said, almost to herself, “I guess I got to stop feeling sorry for these people because nobody is feeling sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/sherrena-nodded-reassuringly-and-said-almost-to-herself-i-guess-i-got/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Everywhere else, we are someone else, but at home, we remove our masks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/everywhere-else-we-are-someone-else-but-at-home-we-remove-our-masks/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [A community that sees so clearly its own disadvantage or its own hardships also has a harder time seeing its potential: its ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/a-community-that-sees-so-clearly-its-own-disadvantage-or-its-own/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“It was once said that the poor are 'constantly exposed to evidence of their own irrelevance.' 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There are moving companies specializing in evictions, their crews working all day, every weekday. There are hundreds of data-mining companies that sell landlords tenant screening reports listing past evictions and court filings.2 These days, housing courts swell, forcing commissioners to settle cases in hallways or makeshift offices crammed with old desks and broken file cabinets—and most tenants don’t even show up. Low-income families have grown used to the rumble of moving trucks, the early-morning knocks at the door, the belongings lining the curb. 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