After a federal ban on certain evictions ended in August, the Biden administration plans to address this housing issue by funding two things – rent assistance and eviction prevention programs.
Rent relief has flowed slowly to some renters and landlords, and housing advocates hope that other programs to prevent evictions could become permanent fixtures in their communities.
The White House, US Treasury Department and Department of Justice have all urged communities to use eviction prevention strategies, from new policies to expanded legal resources for unrepresented renters.
Up to 10% of the US Treasury Department’s $46.6 billion for rent relief can be used on services to improve housing stability, like providing legal counsel to renters, who are usually unrepresented in court.
“So to us, this is an absolutely critical and integral part of the strategy of trying to prevent unnecessary evictions in this time of a public health emergency,” Gene Sperling, a senior advisor to President Joe Biden and coordinator for the American Rescue Plan relief package, said last week. “We also believe this could be part of important long-term policies and long-term reforms.”
Tulsa, Oklahoma nonprofit Housing Solutions launched two eviction prevention programs during the pandemic. Housing Solutions Executive Director Becky Gligo is optimistic that these new strategies will outlast the pandemic in Tulsa, which Eviction Lab ranked as having the 11th highest eviction rate in the country five years ago.
“This is something that needs to stick, and we shouldn’t only respond to these kinds of crises in covid times,” she said. “It should be something that we’re looking to do permanently.”
Erika Rickard, a Pew Charitable Trusts project director focused on the civil legal system, said that one of the biggest areas of change has been the role of courts, which haven’t historically been involved in things like connecting renters and landlord with resources to keep people housed.
“It’s certainly the case now that courts are starting to be an active, visible participant in ensuring that those dots are connected and that assistance is provided to support the parties that are coming to court,” she said.
How states and communities are working to prevent evictions
This year, 20 state legislatures updated their eviction laws, according to data from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington created statewide right-to-counsel programs that guarantee legal representation for renters. Nevada and New Jersey both passed measures to seal certain eviction records, which can be a barrier to securing housing.
On the local level, Cincinnati, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky both created right-to-counsel programs. In Austin, Texas until mid-October, landlords can’t file evictions unless their tenants are more than three months behind on rent. In Harris County, home to the Houston metroplex, landlords who apply for rent assistance are required to waive late fees and interest. They also agree to not pursue eviction while their application is under consideration.
Some law schools have also played a role. For instance, University of Oklahoma law students have partnered with legal aid attorneys to connect tenants with representation and rental assistance.
“This has been, in some ways, an opportunity to rethink what has been a dysfunctional system for a long time and recognize ways to connect people with the assistance they need to stay stably housed and make sure landlords can afford to pay their bills,” said Katie Dilks, executive director of the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, Housing Solutions started the Tulsa Landlord-Tenant Resource Center and a social services hub, which is a joint project with Tulsa County. Both programs provide renters and landlords with referrals to legal services and help signing up for rent relief and other assistance, like food stamp benefits.
On Wednesday, the social services hub started offering eviction mediation through a Tulsa County program that works to resolve cases outside of court.
“Sometimes evictions are really the result of a breakdown in communication, and so having that third party there to help them come to a mutually beneficial arrangement is always better than in front of a judge, where it’s contentious and stressful,” Gligo said. “It tends to be a far better outcome.”
Gligo said 96% of those who go through the mediation program avoid eviction and are less likely to return to court.
Find a rent assistance program near you. Learn more about the Tulsa Landlord-Tenant Resource Center here.
Contact BigIfTrue.org editor Mollie Bryant at 405-990-0988 or bryant@bigiftrue.org. Follow her on Twitter.
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