Planning averts spike in COVID-era homelessness in Hawaiʻi

The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice last week released the results of a study showing “a pre-litigation mediation program,” known as Act 57, in 2021 helped renters and landlords, and reduced both court costs and a strain on the Judicial system.

“The Act 57 program diverted from the court system as many as 1,201 eviction cases,” Hawaiʻi Appleseed said.

Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s study—in partnership with the Housing Crisis Research Collaborative—suggested that continuing short-term rental subsidies along with an emphasis on tenant-landlord mediation might be additional tools to increase “housing stability.”

“For the landlords, the agreements reached often meant they were able to recover back rent and avoid the costly processes of litigating an eviction action and finding new tenants,” Hawaiʻi Appleseed wrote.

“For families who were able to remain in their homes as a result of Act 57 and the availability of rent relief, they avoided forced moves that often result in the loss of security deposits and belongings, a change in schools, a longer commute to work, a negative mark on their rental history, and for some, homelessness.”