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The style and structure of Evicted make it accessible to most readers, and Matthew Desmond’s research efforts give substance to many of his observations. The majority of the book is presented as a narrative. The various people, whose names have been changed, are characters in an ongoing story. Their triumphs and failings are presented in a fairly non-biased way, offering a window into their lives as they navigate the harsh conditions of poverty and eviction. In end notes, Desmond offers further information or research to back up any claims or observations he makes. Some of the events or behaviors of the families in the book (as well as the landlords) have also been discussed in other work by Desmond. The Epilogue shifts to potential solutions and is driven by data from studies, some that Desmond piloted after collecting the stories of the families. While the Epilogue is more data- and policy-focused, it is still accessible and offers practical solutions. 

In an interview with Michigan State University’s station WKAR in 2019, Desmond addresses the initial impact of Evicted. He states that there have been significant changes to policy in different places across the United States, but not enough. The United States still has one of the worst poverty rates among developed countries. While the stories in the book give a human face to the suffering of impoverished families, the Epilogue offers solutions and prospective policy changes. Desmond states that organizations already existed prior to the book’s publication that were trying to increase tenant rights in eviction court and create more affordable housing to reduce homelessness. Laws have recently changed in several states, but the change is not attributable to the book itself. Without sweeping changes across the country, America will continue to see millions of evictions each year, which does not include the increased number of foreclosures.

Evicted offers a sobering examination and exploration of poverty as well as realistic ways to change policies to create more affordable housing and better protect those with the fewest resources. Unfortunately, such policy changes require community organizations and extensive government action. A book about the problem, Desmond believes, is not enough.

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