Called the Eviction Diversion Initiative, it would be advice and mediation that could help solve disputes over rental housing. Court spokesperson Rebecca Koford says the the idea is to avoid the full procedure of a legal eviction.
The tenant gets to leave with dignity. The landlord gets the property back, or they come to an agreement on what needs to be changed and what they're gonna do going forward.
The Alaska Court System has received a grant from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to strengthen eviction diversion efforts and improve housing stability across the state. It could save both parties and the court system, time, money and emotional strain.
Doesn't leave the tenant with that record of an eviction. If they can find a different resolution where they can move out and everyone is content with the solution, it can be quicker. It can just feels more, more human.
The court system will use the money to hire a dedicated staff person, most likely an attorney, but not necessarily, to implement an Alaska-specific model, that could keep going year after year. Koford says that person could guide the tenant and the landlord through the steps that would have occurred in a court proceeding, without actually going to court.
Because sometimes you need that extra person in the room that extra intermediary to help resolve an issue.
The Alaska court system was selected through a competitive application process and is one of twelve court systems nationwide to receive such a grant. Funding for the national program was made possible through a $10 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant.
