Evicted
Harrison McKinley, a 65-year-old Vietnam veteran, was evicted from his apartment in Austin after falling behind on his rent due to his mother's medical bills. All of his personal belongings were placed on the curb, and while was gone making arrangements to store them, his neighbors took everything. Three days later he was homeless on the streets of downtown Austin, not sure what his next move would be.
In 2012, landlords filed 8,645 eviction notices in Travis County, Texas, justice courts - about 24 every day of the year. Most get resolved without tenants being physically forced from their apartments. But not all of them. In Precinct 2, which covers a big swath of north and west Austin, Chief Deputy Constable George Morales said his deputies are called to forcibly remove a tenant and his possessions about once a day.
Apartment management said McKinley was given more than a week advance notice of his eviction. But by the time it happened, he still hadn’t arranged a place for his belongings. After his possessions were taken out of the apartment, McKinley left to find a moving van. His neighbors began picking through the pile. McKinley said he fell on hard times because he was paying medical bills for his mother, who died in March.
He walked along East 6th Street headed toward the downtown library, not sure what his next move would be.
In 2012, landlords filed 8,645 eviction notices in Travis County, Texas, justice courts - about 24 every day of the year. Most get resolved without tenants being physically forced from their apartments. But not all of them. In Precinct 2, which covers a big swath of north and west Austin, Chief Deputy Constable George Morales said his deputies are called to forcibly remove a tenant and his possessions about once a day.