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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA nine-member task force created by the Indiana Supreme Court will help landlords and tenants resolve their disputes and access federal rental assistance resources.
The Indiana Eviction Task Force will review the state’s eviction process and make recommendations for implementing a pre-eviction diversion program, including ways to more quickly and effectively distribute federal emergency rental assistance funds to landlords and tenants.
Members of the task force, which include local judges and representatives from non-profits, will submit recommendations to the high court on how the program should work by Jan. 17.
“Our courts are both the front line in providing parties a fair chance to resolve their disputes and the last line of defense in getting resources … to the people who need them,” Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush wrote in her Monday order. “And that money must move quickly.”
Since the federal COVID-19 eviction moratorium ended Aug. 26, Indiana has seen a surge of residential evictions.
An estimated 93,000 Indiana households are behind on rent and at risk of eviction, according to National Equity Atlas’ Rent Debt Dashboard. Eighty-three percent of those Hoosiers haven’t applied for assistance, however.
Since early September, Indiana’s eviction filings have risen 22% above the pre-pandemic average, according to state data. Statewide, over 22,000 eviction cases have been filed in civil courts this year.
State officials said local eviction diversion programs like this one are necessary to prevent secondary problems driven by evictions, including homelessness, criminal justice issues and child welfare matters.
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Too little too late for so many.
Does the role of the Judiciary Branch include the power to create such a task force? Isn’t that the role of the Legislative Branch?
I think we need to ask “What took so long” and why will it take another 4 months for a panel to figure it out when the problem is at hand RIGHT NOW? The federal $$ is already in the State’s coffers ready to be distributed; 93,000 families are delinquent in rent payments; 22,000 eviction lawsuits have been filed and we can’t expect a report (not an implemented action plan) of how to figure this out for another 4 months????? This is “too little too late for so many”. This is a classical example of government being too cumbersome and indecisive and moving at a snail’s pace when the house is burning.
100% agree. It’s sad honestly.