Housing Court-based Homelessness Prevention

An Evaluation of NYC’s Housing Help Program

Hon. Jaya Madhavan, Bronx Housing CourtEllen Howard-Cooper, NYC Department of Homeless Services

Prepared for the ICPH National Conversation of Child Homelessness and PovertyJanuary 19,2012

The What and Why

The Housing Help Program prevents homelessness by providing legal and social services to tenants facing eviction from high-needs zip-codes in the Bronx.

Targeting matters in Prevention:

Bronx has the city’s number of eviction filings – over 75,000 per year

Bronx has the city’s highest share of shelter entrants – over 40%

About one of three shelter entrants are due to eviction

Mapping Bronx Evictions

Bronx Housing Help Zip Codes10452 & 10456

Yellow = Eviction Filings

Blue = Shelter entrants

4

The majority of families who are evicted and enter shelter do not become engaged in services before homelessness is imminent.

While 95% of landlords are represented by an attorney in housing court, over 95% of tenants are not. This often results in eviction, since tenants can: lack an understanding of legal notices and proceedings lack a defense become intimidated by the legal process are unable to effectively negotiate with an attorney face language barriers.

Eviction and Homelessness

Housing Help Enrollment 2011

ZIP CODE ENROLLED HHP ENROLLED HB

10456 515 510

10452 336 627

11207 67 588

11691 247 245

Calendar Year 2011

What makes HHP Unique?

The program is housed in Housing Court and tenants are automatically referred to HHP when they first come to court. HHP cases are heard by two judges who are dedicated to the program.

Staffed by lawyers, paralegals and social workers

All tenants facing eviction meet with HHP staff

HHP tenants have access to a broad spectrum of social services HHP is subject to rigorous evaluation

Bronx Housing Court

Largest housing court in the nation

Hundreds of thousands of tenants and landlords cycle through the court each year

Court is dedicated to collaborative relationships with multiple City Agencies as well as non-profit providers in order to prevent evictions

Serving Those Who Need it Most

Unlike the HHP, traditional legal service agencies lack the paralegal, social work, and attorney resources to assist in all cases.

HHP allocates its resources to ensure that virtually all are served. HHP paralegals and attorneys provide hands on assistance to tenants through every step of their case. Self-represented cases are constantly monitored through the final result with full representation available when needed.

HHP is able to target resources to serve more vulnerable families. Even those with cases that do not seem to have legal merit are addressed, providing assistance to those who may need it most.

Comprehensive Range of Services Legal Services: Brief and Full

70% Receive Brief Legal Services▪ Provided when tenant is unlikely to need full representation▪ Paralegals walk the tenants through the process

Remaining 30% Receive Full Legal Services

Short-Term Social Service Help tenants apply for public assistance Provide financial counseling

Long-Term Social Services Tenants needing longer-term assistance are referred to NYC’s

community-based homelessness prevention program, Homebase

Community-Based Social Services

Homebase allows households to create a personal housing plan, offering services such as: Legal services, Mediation, Short-term emergency funding,

and Assistance with obtaining

employment, public benefits and accessing other social service.

Evaluating the Program

Evaluated the program based on the likelihood of entering shelter after program enrollment

Found a control group: Family Anti-Eviction Legal Services Available in all neighborhoods Heavier reliance on full legal services Housing court staff often refer cases to community

offices Traditional model that takes a triage approach

Shelter Entry Rates

1-Year 2-Years 3-Years0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

10%

2.9%

5.1%

7.6%

4.2%

7.4%

9.4%

HHP FALS

Interpreting the Results

HHP associated with reduced hazard of shelter entry

Our results may understate program efficacy FALS is subject to two counts of selection bias Comparing HHP to a pre-existing program

Further research required to tease out the impact of individual program features

Implications and Barriers to Implementation

Can be adopted by localities Needs a willing Housing Court partner Requires a legal and social service team Can be tailored to each community’s needs