Third District Court receives funding to launch eviction diversion program

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Third District Court has received a grant from the National Center for State Courts’ (NCSC) Eviction Diversion Initiative to strengthen eviction diversion efforts and improve housing stability across Salt Lake County.

The Third District is one of 10 state and local courts selected through a competitive application process and review by an advisory council composed of state court chief justices and court administrators.

“This furthers the courts’ mission, making the courts more open and accessible to people going through really difficult situations,” said Tania Mashburn, Communications Director for the courts.

Each court will use the grant funding to hire dedicated staff to implement holistic, sustainable, and community-driven strategies for resolving legal problems. Successful eviction diversion programs provide landlords and tenants with the time, information, and resources necessary to resolve their housing problems in the least harmful way.

Courts will benefit from ongoing peer learning opportunities, a national evaluation led by Stout Risius Ross LLC, and intensive technical assistance provided by NCSC as they implement eviction diversion and court reform strategies that leverage community resources including legal aid and mediation services, housing and financial counseling, and rental assistance programs. Funding for the program was made possible through a $10 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant awarded to NCSC in 2021 to strengthen eviction diversion efforts in state courts and improve housing stability.

Other selected sites include:

• Colorado: 4^th Judicial District Court, Colorado Springs
• Kansas: Douglas County Court, Lawrence
• Kentucky: Jefferson County District Court, Louisville
• Ohio: Akron Municipal Court
• Oklahoma: Tulsa County District Court
• Oregon: Clatsop County Circuit Court, Astoria
• Tennessee: Shelby County General Sessions Court, Memphis
• Texas: Harris County Precinct 1 & 2, Houston
• Utah: Third District Court, Salt Lake City
• Washington: Clark County Superior Court, Vancouver

Visit ncsc.org/eviction for more information about NCSC’s Eviction Diversion Initiative.

About the National Center for State Courts
Headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., the National Center for State Courts is a nonprofit court organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. Founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, NCSC provides education, training, technology, management, and research services to the nation’s state courts.

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