Douglas County District Court has received a grant that will help it implement new strategies and alternatives to the traditional eviction track.
The National Center for State Courts’ (NCSC) Eviction Diversion Initiative grant is intended to improve housing stability across the county, according to a Wednesday news release from Douglas County. The county was selected through a competitive application process.
“Each court will use the grant funding to hire dedicated staff to implement holistic, sustainable, and community-driven strategies that can be offered to both landlords and tenants as alternatives to the traditional eviction track,” according to the release.
The court will still hear and decide eviction disputes when landlords and tenants are unable to reach a resolution, but the goal is to help both sides avoid the time and expense of traditional litigation simply because they didn’t realize what other options exist, according to the release.
“Successful eviction diversion programs provide landlords and tenants with the time, information, and resources necessary to resolve their housing problems in the least harmful way,” according to the release.
Other courts were selected in Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington, according to the release.
The courts will benefit from peer learning opportunities; a national evaluation led by Stout Risius Ross LLC, a global bank investment bank and advisory firm; and intensive technical assistance provided by NCSC as they implement reform strategies and leverage community resources including legal aid, mediation, housing and financial counseling, and rental assistance programs, according to the release.
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