Eviction Data in Local Government

• In Event: Before, During, and After: Lessons from State and Local Eviction Prevention Policies

Abstract

Researchers and local governments often struggle to get accurate, complete, and timely data on eviction cases and their outcomes. Most attempts to gather systematic eviction data either require time intensive hand-coding of eviction cases or results in limited ability to track case outcomes and details like the addresses of tenants. This lack of robust eviction data particularly limits local government’s ability to understand the impacts of rental assistance programs, monitor displacement, and track changes in housing stability.

To address this, King County’s Department of Community and Human Services has developed an eviction dataset via a novel method that combines data from multiple sources, including both court data as well as Sheriff’s Office data on writs of restitution carried out. This allows for a regularly updated, household-level dataset that contains address data and eviction case outcome data. King County is in the process of using this data to evaluate outcomes from rental assistance programs it operates, as well as using it to answer policy and programmatic questions about evictions, displacement, and housing instability.

Development of this dataset involved negotiating data sharing agreements with multiple partners, developing a matching process, and working with subject matter experts to evaluate the accuracy of the final dataset. Regularly updated, detailed data collected by local governments on evictions can potentially be helpful in answering research questions related to a wide range of housing-related topics. In this paper, we will describe the process of creating this dataset and share lessons learned in the hope of helping local governments and researchers develop similar products.

Author

• Jesse Warren, King County Department of Community and Human Services
  Presenting Author