Report gives tenant rep highest marks for effectiveness, disparity reduction

The County Health Rankings, put out by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute, evaluates different policies to determine whether they are scientifically supported and have the potential to reduce disparities.  This year, the Rankings elevated Legal support for tenants in eviction proceedings to their highest Evidence and Disparity ratings, meaning they have classified it as a policy that has “been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results” and that it has “the potential to decrease or eliminate disparities between subgroups.”  It goes on to explain that “There is strong evidence that legal support for tenants in eviction proceedings reduces evictions among tenants with low incomes.  Tenants who receive full attorney representation have more favorable outcomes than tenants who receive limited legal assistance … l;egal support in eviction proceedings can reduce homelessness, emergency room, and medical cost,  protect tenants’ rights, and substantially increase financial benefits for tenants by canceling or reducing past due rent balances, damages or fines owed.  Other studies suggest that tenants who can stay in their residences have a sense of belonging in their communities, which supports neighborhood quality.”