Eviction diversion facilitators gain new insights during inaugural convening
Dec. 14, 2022 - Local eviction diversion facilitators from across the country gathered in Chicago earlier this month to share best practices and learn from national leaders in the access to justice community as part of NCSC’s Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI).
The inaugural EDI Facilitator Convening hosted 16 facilitators from courts in Alaska, Nevada, Kansas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, New York, and Washington D.C.
The agenda covered topics including working with legal aid and social service partners, the role of eviction diversion in access to justice, and trauma-informed service delivery. The convening was sponsored by Bank of America, one of several entities supporting the work of the EDI.
“NCSC is proud of the hard work that the EDI facilitators are doing as they build the programs and partnerships that will help stabilize communities and mitigate the harm of eviction,” said Samira Nazem, the NCSC principal court management consultant directing the project.
She said the convening provided a valuable opportunity for the participating jurisdictions to learn, share, and grow as they work together to permanently transform housing courts for the better.
“The Chicago convening of EDI facilitators shed further light on the amazing work and amazing people that have been assembled to strengthen every community involved through the EDI Program,” said Ulices Rosa, an eviction diversion facilitator from the Michigan 54A District Court in Lansing. “The guest speakers were both informative and inspiring, and I left with the impression that myself and the others will be making a major impact in the year to come.”
Rosa and other EDI facilitators will play a key role in helping courts and communities address the U.S. housing crisis that was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The work of the EDI is vital at this moment as eviction filings continue to increase across the country and federal rental assistance winds down,” Nazem said. “Now is the time for courts to think creatively and to leverage community partnerships, building on the momentum of the last few years.”
A second Request for Applications to the EDI will open in early 2023, and the program will add another eight to 10 sites in mid-2023.
Learn more about NCSC’s Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI).