When the wolf is at the door

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February 4, 2008 =

EVICTIONS can toss families onto the street and into turmoil. But new = research suggests that with good policy work, more evictions could be=20 prevented.

To find out who gets evicted and why, two local nonprofit = organizations sent=20 researchers to Boston Housing Court to dig through nearly 4,600 eviction = cases=20 that were filed in 2006. Of these, 2,009 cases ended in evictions.

Behind these numbers are stories of tenants who become paralyzed by = eviction=20 notices, unaware of the actions and protections that could help keep = them in=20 their homes. Some don't know that an eviction "notice to quit" only = starts a=20 legal process; it is not an immediate order to move out. Other options = include=20 contacting a legal aid lawyer or a community organization that helps = tenants=20 negotiate with landlords.

Governments, foundations, and even businesses could help by investing = in=20 programs that enable tenants to become more knowledgeable and = resilient.

One striking finding in the study is that 50 percent of evicted = tenants lived=20 in subsidized or public housing. They were getting help with the rent, = but it=20 clearly wasn't sufficient. They still owed back rent or lost their = tenancies=20 because of violence or drug use or for other reasons such as unsanitary=20 conditions.

"Is a subsidy enough?" Sue Beaton asks rhetorically, because the data = have=20 convinced her that tenants need much more. Beaton is the campaign = director at=20 One Family Inc., an organization that works to end family homelessness = and that=20 sponsored the study with the multiservice agency Project Hope.

How much do tenants need? Good policy experiments could provide = answers.

One approach would be to recast subsidized housing. It shouldn't just = be a=20 landing pad for homeless or near-homeless people. Instead, it should be = a=20 launching pad. Once tenants have moved in and become stable, they could = start=20 right away working with a community organization to plan their next big = move=20 into a financially self-sufficient life.

In this way, tenants who need jobs, are trying to beat drug habits, = or want=20 to go to college would have consistent help and a multi-year plan to = increase=20 earnings and build a career. For example, One Family decided to require = its=20 scholars (homeless or formerly homeless women attending college) to take = a=20 course in personal finances and budgeting that included setting aside = funds for=20 utilities. Another strategy is to locate cash grants to help tenants pay = overdue=20 rent bills, which is generally cheaper than the snowballing costs of = evictions,=20 homeless shelters, and the deposits it takes to get a new apartment.

Ideally, many tenants would move out of subsidized housing = permanently and=20 into stable homes that are far beyond the reach of eviction notices. 3D""=20