Dealing with eviction or the threat of eviction can be a harrowing experience. But more communities are helping individuals and families avoid this nightmare by turning to eviction prevention measures as they recognize the benefits of keeping tenants in stable housing.
Getting evicted is particularly traumatic for mothers and their children as a study published in Social Forces points out. Researchers discovered that "mothers who were evicted in the previous year experienced more material hardship, were more likely to suffer from depression, reported worse health for themselves and their children, and reported more parenting stress" than mothers who were not evicted. Even worse, these harmful effects lingered years after the eviction happened.
Beyond keeping children and families healthy, stable housing also serves another important function - it saves communities money. An August 2015 NeighborWorks blog piece highlights the cost savings citing two different studies. The first found that rental properties "with a dedicated resident-services staff had lower losses due to vacancies, legal fees and bad debts compared to those without this type of programming," and the second found that rental properties "with eviction-prevention programming saved $38 per unit per year."
Keeping people housed also means communities spend less on expensive temporary housing. The Coalition for the Homeless, the nation's oldest homeless services organization, estimates keeping a family in a home saves taxpayers $38,000 per year in shelter costs. The Coalition prevented eviction for 660 households last year, saving taxpayers over $14 million in averted shelter costs.
Recognizing the key social and financial benefits of preventing eviction, more nonprofit organizations and housing providers are employing effective measures to keep tenants in housing. The NeighborWorks piece referenced above details the components of successful eviction prevention programs. Best practices include providing stable funding for the eviction prevention program, coordinating efforts among different departments within an organization, identifying triggers that signal someone is at risk of losing housing, providing effective interventions to prevent evictions, and having good ways to measure success.
Eviction Prevention Assistance in Texas
If you or someone you know is at risk of eviction, we encourage you to check out these resources for Texans.
**Please note that the purpose of this blog is to be informative. TSAHC cannot provide advice about specific circumstances or situations. If you have a question or concern, please contact your local tenants council or legal aid service.
On the House blog posts are meant to provide general information on various housing-related issues, research and programs. We are not liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the information provided by blog sources. Furthermore, this blog is not legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.
I have emailed and called the magagment company to fix clogged sinks that i have to plunge daily also dishwasher has water standing it a cabinet door brook its rotten sliding glass door blinds falls down air conditioner was out for 6 days this place was filthy when i moved in i reported it i have found blood on the stairs leading to my front door reported it nothing is done the air conditioner was fixed i paid an additional 500 for rent plus 200 deposit . i over spent my check was insuffient i offered to pay late charges the first they said no then they said that they would serve me the maintaince man brought me the notice i called the office spoke with a person she stated i did not call i am disabled willing to pay xtra fees
Hi Ray, the Texas Tenant Advisor provides further guidance about the eviction process and timeline: http://texastenant.org/eviction.html.
I am trying to find an answer to this problem…. I was issued a Vacate notice on Nov 1st,2017….It was a 30 day notice….and my rent was paid up. December 4th I paid Decembers rent which the Landlord has my Check and did not return it….Now I have an Eviction date in Court of Jan 2,2018.I was told that since the Landlord accepted payment of rent for a FUTURE time after the expiration of the Vacate Notice…she cannot evict without a new notice to Vacate. Any truth to this…??? Thank you so very much for any reply and guidance…..
Hi Wesley, we recommend that you reach out to one of the resources listed in our blog for assistance. The links above provide contact information for nonprofit organizations that can help you and your family catch up on your rent or access temporary housing.
I lost my job few weeks ago I go back to work next week but I’ve got behind on my rent I got eviction news last night for 72 hours I need help anyway I get it someone please help me or tell me where I can get help I have 4 children they need their home
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Hi June, the Texas Tenant Advisor provides guidance about a tenant’s rights when it comes to repairs (http://www.texastenant.org/repairs.html). If you feel that your rights as a tenant have been violated, we recommend that you contact your local tenants council or legal aid services.