Detroit Eviction Prevention Pilot Evaluation

The United Way and JP Morgan Chase have engaged Poverty Solutions to evaluate the impacts of an eviction prevention pilot, set to launch in 2021. While most eviction prevention programs seek to intervene through the courts (e.g., a public right to counsel or court-based eviction diversion program), this pilot will attempt to identify and intervene with at-risk tenants well before the formal eviction process begins. The goal is to pair short-term financial assistance with intensive financial counseling and wraparound supports, in order to get the at-risk tenant on a financially sustainable path. The model is inspired by the successful Home Start initiative based in Greater Boston. The partner in this effort will be the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC), which manages over 2,000 rental units across the city of Detroit. Poverty Solutions will be conducting a mixed-methods evaluation, using existing DHC data on delinquency; surveys of participating tenants, the implementing partner, and DHC leadership, and semi-structured interviews with tenants, implementing partners, and DHC leadership, to understand program impacts. The core outcome of interest is the extent to which the intervention helps households attain housing and financial stability.