2025-07-03
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States saw a transformative shift in efforts toward stabilizing housing through various eviction prevention measures.
Cities across the country endeavored to keep households securely in their homes amidst the crisis by implementing a series of strategies, including rental assistance, eviction diversion, and legal aid for tenants facing eviction.
However, as the immediate threat of the pandemic receded, the cessation of COVID-related federal funding – notably the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) and State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – has left a noticeable gap in the resources available to combat evictions.
Consequently, evictions are on the rise nationwide, though the impact varies significantly from city to city.
To get a better grasp on how eviction prevention policies and programs have evolved and their effectiveness, the National League of Cities (NLC) teamed up with Stanford Law School's Legal Design Lab to develop the Eviction Prevention Policy and Program Tool.
This tool is designed to offer a comprehensive overview of the eviction prevention landscape across the United States, catering to the needs of elected officials, city staff, nonprofits, service providers, and researchers.
The initial version of the tool, released in 2022, compiled information on over 500 policies and programs from 200 cities across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Fast forward to 2025, the tool has expanded to include 200 more cities and now tracks over 800 policies and programs, both active and historical. This vast database serves to illuminate the steps cities have taken to mitigate evictions within their communities.
An awe-inspiring sum of $46.6 billion in ERA funding was distributed by state and local governments between 2021 and 2022, aiding over 10 million renter households and preventing millions of evictions during the pandemic’s peak.
Yet, by 2025, only a slim 12 percent of cities had an ongoing rental assistance program fueled by local, state, or federal funds, a significant drop from 28 percent in 2022.
The adoption of rental registries saw a noteworthy increase, with 162 cities having such policies in place in 2025, up from 84 cities in 2022. Conversely, there has been a decrease in cities providing or supporting access to legal representation during eviction proceedings, from 37 cities in 2022 to just 11 cities in 2025.
Despite a rise in eviction filings, fewer cities had active eviction prevention policies or programs in 2025 compared to 2022. This shift from 500 active policies and programs in 200 cities in 2022 to 668 in 400 cities in 2025 indicates a broader adoption but also highlights the struggle to keep pace with the need.
As we look forward, the call for cities to receive robust and continuous funding to prevent evictions grows louder. Such funding is not only crucial for maintaining housing stability but is also essential for ensuring the continuance of the capacities developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent evictions.
In essence, the journey from the height of the pandemic to our current state has been marked by significant shifts in eviction prevention strategies.
With the fading of emergency funds and the evolving nature of eviction prevention efforts, the future hinges on a commitment to sustained support and funding to keep residents stably housed and mitigate the risk of evictions.
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Read more: New Program Aims to Help Vulnerable Individuals Secure Stable Housing
The Current Landscape of Eviction Prevention in the U.S.: A Closer Look
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States saw a transformative shift in efforts toward stabilizing housing through various eviction prevention measures.
Cities across the country endeavored to keep households securely in their homes amidst the crisis by implementing a series of strategies, including rental assistance, eviction diversion, and legal aid for tenants facing eviction.
However, as the immediate threat of the pandemic receded, the cessation of COVID-related federal funding – notably the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) and State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – has left a noticeable gap in the resources available to combat evictions.
Consequently, evictions are on the rise nationwide, though the impact varies significantly from city to city.
To get a better grasp on how eviction prevention policies and programs have evolved and their effectiveness, the National League of Cities (NLC) teamed up with Stanford Law School's Legal Design Lab to develop the Eviction Prevention Policy and Program Tool.
This tool is designed to offer a comprehensive overview of the eviction prevention landscape across the United States, catering to the needs of elected officials, city staff, nonprofits, service providers, and researchers.
The initial version of the tool, released in 2022, compiled information on over 500 policies and programs from 200 cities across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Fast forward to 2025, the tool has expanded to include 200 more cities and now tracks over 800 policies and programs, both active and historical. This vast database serves to illuminate the steps cities have taken to mitigate evictions within their communities.
An awe-inspiring sum of $46.6 billion in ERA funding was distributed by state and local governments between 2021 and 2022, aiding over 10 million renter households and preventing millions of evictions during the pandemic’s peak.
Yet, by 2025, only a slim 12 percent of cities had an ongoing rental assistance program fueled by local, state, or federal funds, a significant drop from 28 percent in 2022.
The adoption of rental registries saw a noteworthy increase, with 162 cities having such policies in place in 2025, up from 84 cities in 2022. Conversely, there has been a decrease in cities providing or supporting access to legal representation during eviction proceedings, from 37 cities in 2022 to just 11 cities in 2025.
Despite a rise in eviction filings, fewer cities had active eviction prevention policies or programs in 2025 compared to 2022. This shift from 500 active policies and programs in 200 cities in 2022 to 668 in 400 cities in 2025 indicates a broader adoption but also highlights the struggle to keep pace with the need.
As we look forward, the call for cities to receive robust and continuous funding to prevent evictions grows louder. Such funding is not only crucial for maintaining housing stability but is also essential for ensuring the continuance of the capacities developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent evictions.
In essence, the journey from the height of the pandemic to our current state has been marked by significant shifts in eviction prevention strategies.
With the fading of emergency funds and the evolving nature of eviction prevention efforts, the future hinges on a commitment to sustained support and funding to keep residents stably housed and mitigate the risk of evictions.
-
Read more: New Program Aims to Help Vulnerable Individuals Secure Stable Housing
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