Announcing NLIHC’s ERASE Webinar Series for Emergency Rental Assistance Program Stakeholders

NLIHC is pleased to announce the End Rental Arrears to Stop Evictions (ERASE) Webinar Series. This three-part series (July 28, August 4, and August 11 from 3-4:30 pm ET) will provide emergency rental assistance (ERA) program administrators, state and local partners, and community stakeholders with tools and best practices to ensure that ERA reaches households experiencing the worst impacts of the pandemic—including households of color, people with disabilities, and immigrant communities—in time to prevent housing loss and eviction. Register for the webinar series here.

With the federal CDC eviction moratorium expiring on July 31, NLIHC calls on state and local partners to ensure that: 1) tenants and landlords in need know about and can access ERA; 2) ERA applications are flexible, streamlined, and low barrier; and 3) ERA programs are connected to other tenant protections and ultimately successful in preventing evictions.

Each webinar will address one core focus area of the ERASE Call to Action: that ERA programs are visible, accessible, and preventive.

“Visible: Ensuring Equitable Outreach, Marketing and Targeting of Emergency Rental Assistance”

July 28, 2021, 3-4:30 EST

This webinar will focus on tools and best practices that emergency rental assistance programs should incorporate to ensure outreach efforts and resources are effectively reaching neighborhoods and communities, including communities of color, with the greatest risks and needs for assistance.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Barbara Poppe, National Homelessness Expert and Former Executive Director of USICH
  • Samantha Batko, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
  • Terry Hickey, Deputy Director of Housing and Community Development at the Baltimore County Department of Health & Human Services
  • Dr. Joel Arvizo-Zavala, Utah’s Division of Multicultural Affairs and Department of Workforce Services

Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/r4w39cwh

“Accessible: Creating Flexible, Streamlined and Low Barrier Application Processes”

August 4, 2021, 3-4:30 EST

Households most in need may have difficulty navigating lengthy applications and meeting burdensome documentation requirements in time to avoid a looming eviction. This webinar will cover strategies that state and local programs can incorporate into program design to support flexible, streamlined, and low barrier application processes to facilitate access to and disbursement of financial support to landlords and tenants and support progress toward racial equity and justice.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Rebecca Yae, Senior Research Analyst, NLIHC
  • Claire Stanley, Public Policy Analyst, National Disabilities Rights Network
  • Victoria Soto, Director, City of San Antonio, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department
  • Gregory Zlotnick, Director of Pro Bono Programs at the St. Mary’s University School of Law’s Center for Legal and Social Justice
  • Erin Barbee, Senior Vice President of Programs and Fund Development, DreamKey Partners, North Carolina

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/r4w39cwh

“Preventive: Connecting Emergency Rental Assistance to Courts and Tenant Protects”

August 11, 2021, 3-4:30

This webinar will highlight strategies to prevent eviction, housing displacement and homelessness by offering flexible, holistic, and preventative interventions and creating formal partnerships with state and local courts to support eviction prevention and diversion in coordination with ERA programs.  We will hear from national partners regarding tenant protections that can be aligned with emergency rental assistance as well as from state and local programs on how they are using data to track eviction cases and conduct advocacy. 

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Trevor Samios, Vice President, Connected Communities, Winn Companies
  • Webb Brewer, General Counsel for ERA, Memphis & Shelby County Emergency Rental Assistance Program
  • Greg Payne, Director, Maine Housing Coalition

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/r4w39cwh