Poverty
Poverty is rampant throughout the book, as poor African American families are kicked out of their homes because they do not have the money to pay the rent. While poverty isn't the only reason they are being kicked out - the other reason being race - a lack of sufficient funds certainly makes the lives of these people so much harder. Because of deep-rooted discrimination in the social system, African Americans like those shown in the book have never had a way to make money, therefore cannot even imagine being able to cough up monthly rents.
Racism
The eviction crisis in America is not only based on money, but also on skin color. If a white tenant with much money comes knocking on a landlord's door, that landlord may evict an African American tenant that is three, two, or even just one month behind on their rent. That person then has nowhere to live once they are evicted, and has to bear the agony of living on the streets with children, sometimes in the middle of winter.
