When it’s time for mediation, the two parties join a conference call with a trained mediator and work toward a solution that satisfies both parties. Meanwhile, the EHPA program’s protections include a mandate through the end of June that landlords communicate information to tenants about the program’s services. One of those resources is the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Program (PEPP), which was spearheaded in 2017 and includes services like a tenant hotline, court navigators, tenant’s rights workshops and pro bono representation. Philadelphia’s efforts have combined resources and options, including the federal moratorium on evictions, emergency rental assistance, and the sustained commitment to mediation. Slowing down the process, and providing legal and material assistance, is preventing thousands of tenants in one of the nation’s poorest big cities from risking homelessness." "In many other parts of the country, you can still file an eviction, turn down rental assistance, and kick someone out immediately, during a public health and economic crisis. "Philadelphia now requires all property owners to apply for rental assistance, wait 45 days, and be offered mediation before filing for eviction," she said. "I’ve been able to cover my expenses, and as long as my kids have food, clothing and the basics, I’m OK." Bringing tenants, landlords to the same tableĪlieza Durana, spokesperson at the Princeton Eviction Lab, is a fan of the work Philadelphia is doing to keep renters in their homes. "After going through mediation, I received a check that covered back rent for two months," she said. While Jones said she is still not quite caught up with her bills, the federal rent-relief money she received has helped her gain her footing. "We believe we can end poverty-based evictions. "It’s our goal to keep numbers low," she said. Gym sees this as a beginning for lasting, meaningful change. The mandatory mediation requirement is currently set to expire on June 30, but Gym’s office is hopeful that it will be extended and potentially made permanent.įor the time being, those protections have helped: Philadelphia saw eviction numbers fall to 4,500 in 2020. The Emergency Housing Protections Act (EHPA) provides several safeguards for tenants, including mediation between the landlord and tenant, a temporary waiver of late fees and mandatory multimonth repayment agreements. Knowing that the pandemic could cause evictions to spike, Gym helped enact one of the nation’s most aggressive plans for fighting evictions in June 2020.
"When you look at a city like ours that processes that many evictions, it becomes a crutch rather than a means to resolve disputes." "Philadelphia is the nation’s largest poor city," said Helen Gym, a city council member and early sponsor of the program. In a normal, nonpandemic year, the city files around 20,000 annual evictions. The city’s unique take on eviction diversion has supported renters and landlords alike amid the pandemic and its financial challenges. As a Philadelphia resident, she benefited from a program that brings together struggling tenants and landlords in a mediation process as one part of a multifaceted eviction diversion effort.
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