Molly Justice
Director of Communications & Online Media
(757) 259-1564
National eviction diversion effort to award $2 million to 10 housing courts
Williamsburg, Va. (Aug. 8, 2023) -- The National Center for State Courts has expanded its Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI) to 10 additional jurisdictions that will receive a total of more than $2 million to respond to the country’s growing eviction crisis through court-based eviction diversion programs.
Funding for the program was made possible through a $10 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant awarded to the National Center for State Courts in 2021 to strengthen eviction diversion efforts in state courts and improve housing stability.
Through partnerships with legal, financial, and social service providers in their communities, participating courts establish diversion programs that offer alternative solutions to housing problems and promote housing and financial stability.
The new set of courts to join the Eviction Diversion Initiative include:
- Colorado: 4th Judicial District Court, Colorado Springs
- Kansas: Douglas County Court, Lawrence
- Kentucky: Jefferson County District Court, Louisville
- Ohio: Akron Municipal Court
- Oklahoma: Tulsa County District Court
- Oregon: Clatsop County Circuit Court, Astoria
- Tennessee: Shelby County General Sessions Court, Memphis
- Texas: Harris County Precinct 1 & 2, Houston
- Utah: Third District Court, Salt Lake City
- Washington: Clark County Superior Court, Vancouver
“We are pleased to expand our eviction diversion efforts to such a diverse group,” said Laurie Givens, NCSC Vice President for Court Consulting Services. “As we continue to see a marked increase in evictions following the pandemic, it becomes even more critically important that courts find ways to proactively connect landlords and tenants with the information and resources necessary to resolve their housing problems in the least harmful way. Eviction diversion programs help courts become points of connection for people in crisis, rather than places of last resort.”
“At Wells Fargo, we believe access to a quality, affordable place to call home is something everyone should have,” said Stacy Spann, head of Housing Access & Affordability Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “We are proud to provide this important grant to enhance the eviction judicial process and keep more people in their homes.”
Over the past year, the Eviction Diversion Initiative has enabled courts in Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia to hire dedicated court staff and create holistic, sustainable, and community-driven eviction diversion programs that use the formal court process to connect landlords and tenants with stabilizing resources that can prevent or mitigate the harm of eviction.
Learn more about NCSC’s Eviction Diversion Initiative at ncsc.org/evictiondiversion.