Est 2018

Mission

It started with a mother who was served an eviction notice, settled out of court, and continued to live in the residence for 2 more years. But the filing followed her—ultimately leading to denial of future housing. With support from the American Civil Liberties Union, her case exposed deep racial and gender disparities embedded in eviction practices.

Research in King County, Washington found that Black households were four times more likely than White households to receive eviction notices, and that Black women were five times more likely than White men to have an eviction case filed against them. Building on this work, founder Tim Thomas began examining local eviction data and later expanded this analysis across Washington State and other regions. These findings have informed the development of state and local policies, including Washington State’s extension of the eviction notice period from 3 to 14 days and the establishment of Right to Counsel in Baltimore City, with the goal of reducing preventable evictions and supporting fairer processes.

The Eviction Research Network (ERN) specializes in making housing and eviction dynamics measurable and understandable. Through open-source tools, academic research, and collaboration with a wide range of partners—including community organizations, service providers, and public agencies—ERN develops accessible data that clarifies where and for whom evictions are most likely to occur. Similar patterns to those observed in Washington appear across many jurisdictions and reflect the long-term effects of historical housing policies and practices. Because stable housing underpins health, education, and overall well-being, these patterns have significant implications for communities’ long-term outcomes. By identifying populations and neighborhoods at elevated risk of eviction at the local level, the Eviction Research Network supports data-informed strategies aimed at preventing displacement and strengthening housing stability.