PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Evictions in Philadelphia have decreased by about ⅓, since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and officials give at least partial credit to the city’s Right to Counsel program, which guarantees tenants the right to a lawyer in eviction court. Now, more Philadelphians are eligible for legal help when facing eviction, under an expansion of the program.
Tenant advocates say landlords are represented in eviction court 92% of the time, which they say was one of the factors fueling Philadelphia’s high eviction rate before the pandemic. Advocates and city officials called it an “eviction crisis” and, in 2017, Philadelphia City Council began funding lawyers for tenants in eviction court to level the playing field with landlords.
That grew to a Right to Counsel pilot project, guaranteeing tenants in four ZIP codes with the highest rates of poverty and evictions — 19121, western North Philadelphia; 19134, Kensington and Port Richmond; 19139, West Philadelphia; and 19144, Germantown — would be represented in eviction proceedings. Last week, the city announced the addition of a fifth ZIP code, 19132, in North Philadelphia, where the eviction rate is 7.5% and the poverty rate is 33%.
Now tenants in those five ZIP codes, at least, never have to face eviction alone.
Mark Dodds, policy and planning program manager at the Division of Housing and Community Development, says the expansion reflects the pilot’s success: More than twice as many tenants in the program have successful outcomes, compared to those who don’t have a lawyer.
“Fifty-three percent of those who participate in the program reach a judgment by agreement, compared to 21.5% who are unrepresented. And judgments by agreements are associated with reduced payment amounts or more time to stay in the unit,” he said.
Dodds says that, combined with other measures in the eviction diversion program, resulted in a reduction in eviction filings, from 21,000 citywide before the pandemic to about 14,000.
The city has budgeted $28 million for the program over the next five years, he said.
“We’ll continue to monitor and evaluate the progress and success of the program, and we hope to continue with expansion in the future.”
Renters at risk of eviction can get more information at phillytenant.org or by calling the hotline at 267-443-2500.