Hey BridgeDetroit readers! 👋
A survey of Black women in metro Detroit during the years since the COVID-19 pandemic found more than half of respondents reported experiencing an eviction in their lifetime.
As Detroiter and social epidemiologist Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson was researching the impact of evictions, mass incarceration, stress and tax foreclosures on preterm births among Black women, she was frustrated: she knew Black mothers were more likely to be evicted from their homes than other groups but there was no data to illustrate the scope of the problem — and what it does to them.
She decided to do something about it.
Sealy-Jefferson embarked on a five-year project, studying the link between evictions among Black women and health outcomes. She surveyed 1,428 Black women from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, conducted focus groups with about 90 participants and interviewed 55 Black women who experienced an illegal eviction.
I spoke with Sealy-Jefferson about her recently published research. Read our conversation.
On your radar
💲PAPER CHECKS: The federal government is phasing out paper checks in favor of electronic payments this fall, and financial experts both welcomed and cautioned the move. LEARN MORE.
🏠 FREE ESTATE PLANNING: The Detroit Public Library is hosting free estate planning workshops throughout the spring and summer for Detroiters who need help ensuring their homes get passed down to the next generation. LEARN MORE.
🚿HELP ON THE ROAD: A vibrant RV, stocked with snacks, a PlayStation and shower, will hit the road this summer to get essentials out to young people in need. The custom-built vehicle, dubbed the YouthUp mobile unit, is the Detroit Phoenix Center’s latest project to tackle housing insecurity among young people, ages 12 to 24. LEARN MORE.
🏢 HOUSING COMMISSION: Wayne County restarted its housing commission earlier this month after a 30-year pause to ramp up affordable housing. The 5-member body is expected to meet on the second Monday of each month at 2 p.m.
🏚️ CITY COUNCIL FORUM: At a BridgeDetroit forum last week in District 3, city council candidates spoke at length about the Detroit Land Bank Authority and the need for home repair. READ THE RECAP.