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In countless cities across the country, calling 911 can get you evicted. You, the caller, that is, not the person you’re calling the police on all because of policies called “nuisance ordinances.”
In Maplewood, Missouri, one victim of domestic violence was forced out of her home after contacting the police because of the town’s particularly egregious rental restrictions.
Between September 2011 and February 2012, Rosetta Watson was assaulted several times by a former boyfriend, according to court documents, and on at least one occasion he allegedly choked her and refused to leave, forcing her to call 911.
Watson would end up calling the police on four occasions over six months, her legal complaint states. As a result, Maplewood deemed her a “nuisance” and revoked her occupancy permit, which is required to reside in the city. She ended up moving to St. Louis, where her abuser attacked her again; now terrified of calling the police, she took her