Sally Ryan

Documentary: Evicted

On the north side of Milwaukee, evictions have become part of the community fabric. African-American women, especially single mothers, are hard hit when their income can't sustain the current housing prices. The cycle of renting and eviction can easily become a pattern that is hard to break, similar to incarceration for poor African-American men. The court systems are clogged with cases between landlords and tenants, and many judges spend their days listening to disputes between the two groups. For those who do break the cycle, having a regular place to stay creates stability in the lives of the children who have grown used to moving every few months.

Employees of Eagle Moving and Storage Company pile the belongings of Shantana Smith, 26, after she was evicted from her apartment on Milwaukee's north side. Local residents know when an Eagle truck shows up, a neighbor will be leaving soon.
   
Shantana Smith, 26, waits outside the front door to her former apartment while movers put her furniture on the sidewalk as she is evicted from her apartment on Milwaukee's north side.
   
David Brittain, left, owner of Eagle Moving and Storage Company finalizes paperwork with Detective Jon R. Nilsen at the end of an eviction on Milwaukee's north side.
     
  
Eviction notices served by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's office are accompanied by a detective and moving crew to ensure a safe removal of the property and tenants.
   
Employees of Eagle Moving and Storage Company remove the furniture and belongings from a second floor apartment on Milwaukee's north side. Detective Jon R. Nilsen, right, with the criminal investigations division in the Milwaukee County sheriff's office attends each eviction to enforce the paper work and to keep the peace during a turbulent event.
   
Employees of Eagle Moving and Storage Company pile the belongings of Shantana Smith, 26, after she was evicted from her apartment on Milwaukee's north side.
     
  
Ara Sparkman, 40, looks over her belongings as they are placed on the sidewalk in front of the apartment she was just evicted from. Sparkman received an eviction notice several days before she had to move out, but she was still struggling to find housing as the movers arrived.
   
Gloria Rhodes, 64, watches as employees of Eagle Moving and Storage Company remove the furniture and belongings from the apartment she shared with her daughter, Ara Sparkman. Sparkman received an eviction notice several days before the movers arrived, but she was still struggling to find housing as her property was placed on the sidewalk in front her rented apartment.
   
Employees of Eagle Moving and Storage Company remove the furniture and belongings of Ara Sparkman, 40, and her mother Gloria Rhodes. Sparkman received an eviction notice several days before the movers arrived, but she was still struggling to find housing as her property was placed on the sidewalk in front her rented apartment.
     
  
When families are evicted, some things get left behind. A lone hanger is all that remains in a bedroom closet.
   
Gloria Rhodes, 64, watches as employees of Eagle Moving and Storage Company remove the furniture and belongings from the apartment she shared with her daughter, Ara Sparkman. Sparkman received an eviction notice several days before the movers arrived, but she was still struggling to find housing as her property was placed on the sidewalk in front her rented apartment.
   
Personal belongings can be removed, but some signs of family life remain after an eviction.
     
  
Paperwork fills the judge's bench and surrounding tables in small claims court at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. Here landlords and tenants can attend hearings to discuss legal matters, such as eviction.
   
Judicial Court Commissioner Barry Phillips listens to a landlord and tenant discuss a security deposit in an evidentiary hearing in small claims court at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
   
Judicial court commissioners in small claims court at the Milwaukee County Courthouse hear cases between landlords and tenants in small chambers off the main courtroom.
     
  
Clarissa Adams, 38, shares a two-bedroom apartment with her three daughters and two grandchildren, including Nevaeh Crawford, 2. Adams has been evicted from rental housing several times, citing a "lack of income and a lack of moral insight" as the reasons for losing her home.
   
Adriana, 3, lives with her mother and siblings in an apartment on Milwaukee's north side. Adriana's mother, Shakima H., has been evicted from housing in the past.
   
Kenneth Miller, 10, plays with his dog FooFoo in the apartment he shares with his mother and siblings on Milwaukee's north side. Miller's mother, Shakima H., has been evicted from housing in the past, but now the family lives in the upstairs apartment of a two-unit building, with Shakima's mother on the lower level.