Eviction Prevention

If you are facing an eviction and need immediate help, visit our Get Help page

Understanding and Preventing Evictions

With some initial planning and foresight, we can help families remain stable and in their own homes. Community leaders and governments can adopt five strategies to prevent evictions:  

  • Rental assistance to help people pay their rent; 
  • Mediation to work out disputes without going through the court system;  
  • Outreach to those tenants and neighborhoods hardest hit to ensure they know about and apply for available resources; 
  • Engagement with landlords to find alternative solutions beyond eviction; and  
  • Expansion of legal representation for tenants. 

Addressing the Eviction Crisis: An Evaluation of Two Court-Based Eviction Diversion Programs in Pennsylvania

Executive Summary and Full Report

The Housing Alliance is publishing and continuing to publish a series of Issue Briefs in our Why and How to Prevent Eviction series. We are illustrating the many reasons your organization and community may want to consider prioritizing eviction prevention and diversion, and breaking down easy steps to take.

Issue Brief – What do tenants say about the programs?

We interviewed tenants participating in the two eviction diversion programs. They reported very positive experiences and shared the program benefits.

Issue Brief – Eviction Diversion Results

The two programs led to big increases in the percentage of eviction cases withdrawn by landlords and settled by agreement with landlords, demonstrating the benefit to landlords as well as tenants. All hope is NOT lost once an eviction has been filed.

Issue Brief – How do these programs work?

Each program operates with a similar philosophy and approach but slightly different strategies. Find out how as you consider possibly putting in place a similar program in your community.

Issue Brief – Why focus on eviction?

Focusing on eviction’s connection to school classroom turnover: when children and families are forced to move, there are negative consequences, including impacts on school stability.

What Eviction Data Tell Us

Revealing Opportunities and Challenges: An Analysis of Eviction Filings in Pennsylvania

Interactive Web report

Executive Summary

Full Report PDF

Rental Assistance

Emergency Rental Assistance Brief 

A Case Study in Using Self-Attestation: York County, PA 

How to Use Categorical Eligibility

How to Use Fact-Specific Proxy 

Analysis of Treasury Guidance on Recapture and Reallocation

Strategies for Prioritization of ERAP Applications

Comparing ERAP 1 and 2 

Partnering with the Courts

Partnering with the Courts: Eviction Prevention Court in Chester County

Partnering with the Courts: Eviction Prevention in the City of Reading, Berks County

Preventing Evictions as the CDC Eviction Moratorium Ends 

Landlord Tenant Mediation

Landlord Tenant Mediation in Pennsylvania 

Building Blocks of Landlord-Tenant Mediation: A Toolkit for Developing a Local Program 

Outreach to Landlords

Landlord Engagement in a Post-Pandemic Rental Market: What Is and Is Not Working

COVID-19 Landlord Communication Toolkit 

Incentives for Landlords to Rent to Lower Income Households

Incentives for Landlords to Rent to Lower Income Households Being Served Through Homelessness Assistance Programs

Outreach to Tenants

COVID-19 Landlord Communication Toolkit