Illegal Eviction Action Team

The paralegals on our Eviction Diversion Program (EDP) hotline work tirelessly to help Philadelphians at risk of losing their housing.

EDP paralegals Jax Hebner, Sam Curtis, and Alexandria Oliver have used their expertise working on the hotline to contribute to the Education Subcommittee of the city’s Illegal Eviction Action Team. This subcommittee consists of members from PLA, the Attorney General’s Office, HelpMLP, Community Legal Services, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Senior Law Center, Urban League, the Mayor’s office, and the Citizens Police Oversight Commission. Together, they collaborate to develop educational programs and materials about illegal evictions and strategies to combat them. 

Last year the subcommittee created a Know Your Rights flyer for tenants, and translated it into Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic. Additionally, they developed three more flyers focused on police responses to illegal evictions, restoring service after illegal utility shut-offs, and The Fair Housing Commission’s role in holding landlords accountable. 

The subcommittee also created a PowerPoint training presented via Zoom for tenant advocates, based on the information from the flyers. 
The aim is to conduct monthly online training sessions and eventually offer in-person training for the public. The flyers will serve as supplementary materials to the training, providing detailed information covered during the presentations. 

Working on the hotline is a difficult job. Not everyone who calls is entitled to the benefits of the Eviction Diversion Program. These educational materials and additional resources are making a difference. When people are empowered to enforce legislation outside of the courts, it strengthens the fight within the courts. This is just one of many ways that PLA’s advocates expand the reach of their knowledge and expertise to help even more members of our community.