Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) last week introduced the Stable Homes Act, legislation that would establish a competitive grant program to help local governments create or expand eviction diversion programs. More than two million eviction cases are filed each year across the country, roughly one filing every four minutes. Only 3% of tenants - compared to more than 80% of landlords - have legal representation. Eviction diversion programs (EDPs) have produced benefits for tenants, landlords, and local court systems by resolving disputes before an eviction filing is ever made. 

EDPs help tenants avoid long-term consequences of an eviction record, such as barriers to future housing and damage to credit, while landlords benefit through mediation and supported negotiation to help resolve payment disputes and avoid court and attorney fees associated with formal eviction proceedings. EDPs also connect families to rental assistance, housing counseling, legal representation, and other resources to keep them housed.

“At a time when working-class Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, we need programs that help individuals and families stay in their homes and prevent housing insecurity,” said Rep. Scanlon. “Eviction diversion programs promote faster, fairer, and more sustainable resolutions for both landlords and tenants. I’m proud to introduce the Stable Homes Act to strengthen our housing market and keep our most vulnerable neighbors housed.”

Locally, Philadelphia’s EDP has demonstrated how pre-filing mediation can transform a city’s eviction landscape. In its first full year, 85% of cases entering the program avoided eviction court entirely, contributing to a dramatic decline in eviction filings from 20,000 annually to 7,000 in 2021. The program also relieved the local court system, reducing hearing wait times by two-thirds.

The Stable Homes Act would provide funding for localities to:

• Establish eviction diversion programs, offering mediation services between tenants and landlords before an eviction filing occurs. 

• Support productive negotiation by providing direct rental assistance, legal representation, and housing counseling for the tenant. 

• Collect data and evaluate outcomes to measure program effectiveness and inform future policy. 

The bill is endorsed by the National Housing Law Project and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Find the full bill text here.

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