Image courtesy of Austin DSA
What is the Justice of the Peace?
In its most basic form,
The Justice of the Peace represents communities in weddings, small claims, and renter / landlord disputes.
This is important in Austin because our rapidly rising costs are making it harder and harder for our established families to stay in their homes and their schools. This pandemic has highlighted a persistent attribute of Austin’s history: Racial inequity.
The first people to be forced from their homes by corporate landlords are the underrepresented and in Precinct 1 eviction rates continue to skyrocket.
Evictions ruin lives.
“What do you have toward the rent?” Williams asked.
The renter […] explained that she had been furloughed […] [b]ut she had three kids and nowhere to go […] and was working to raise the money, which included more than $1,000 in late fees.
-Washington Post, 2020
Images courtesy of Austin DSA
“Nobody should be evicted because they got priced out of their neighborhoods.”
Austin’s status quo has neglected its Black and Brown communities for years and it’s time to take action.
According to many, including The Washington Post, the enforcement of evictions is increasingly being left to the courts which means that the Justice of the Peace is in a strong position to protect our communities from eviction and turmoil that leads to instability, crime, and the further incarceration and expropriation of Austin’s historically underserved families.