FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUM

A CDC ban on some evictions through the end of the year goes into effect Sep. 3; eligibility requirements are listed here (English/Spanish). [BillyPenn]

The Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project is a joint effort of: Clarifi, Community Legal Services, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Philadelphia VIP, SeniorLAW Center, and Tenant Union Representative Network.

Philly Tenant Hotline 267-443-2500, www.phillytenant.org

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What tenants need to know
Housing advocates prep for worst-case scenario on evictions
Claudia Lauer, The Philadelphia Tribune

Patel (Vik Patel, a staff attorney in the housing unit of Community Legal Services) said tenants should ask to see the order allowing a lockout and should ask to see the identification of anyone attempting to forcefully evict them, because a sheriff’s officer or a landlord tenant officer who works with the court must perform a legal lockout. “Every day I end up calling a landlord to have a stern conversation about trying to illegally lock someone out or turn off their utilities,” he said. Patel said that there is a legal process that has to be followed, and that there are consequences if it is not followed. He urged tenants to call the police or the Philly Tenant hotline if their landlord does not have a court order or tries to personally lock them out.

More here.

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Here are six ways to avoid eviction in Philadelphia
Zari Tarazona, Kensington Voice

Community Legal Services provides free civil legal services to low-income people in Philadelphia, including same-day representation at eviction hearings. The Urban League of Philadelphia, an affiliate of the National Urban League, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization that provides Black people and underserved communities with a variety of services, like housing counseling.
To help Philadelphians avoid eviction, the Lincoln Financial Foundation’s Community Connections initiative — in partnership with The Urban League of Philadelphia and Community Legal Services — hosted an eviction prevention webinar on Aug. 18. You can also watch a full recording of the event here. Tip: You might need to register in order to see the recording.

Here are six tips for people facing eviction, taken from the webinar and additional reporting by Kensington Voice

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Philadelphia has stepped in with a stopgap. A new policy announced requires landlords in the city to first apply for mediation before they start new actions to kick out tenants.
The City of Philadelphia’s Eviction Diversion Program enables landlords and tenants to arrive at an agreement that works for both parties, without having to go to Court. This program is required for all landlords with tenants who have had difficulty paying rent due to a COVID-19 related hardship. Benefits of diversion and mediation include helping tenants avoid an eviction, while also helping landlords avoid vacancies and unit turnover costs.
To schedule a mediation, landlords must first submit an application through the web portal (link below). Once it is confirmed that the application is complete, the landlord and tenant will be scheduled for a mediation within 30 days.

More about the process is laid out on PHLEvictionDiversion.com. Apply here.