In a city where tens of thousands of eviction cases hit the courts each year, Jacksonville’s Eviction Diversion Program has quietly turned into a kind of emergency brake for renters on the brink. The city-court partnership steps in with short-term financial help and connections to legal and social services, and staffers say it has already helped more than 400 households cover emergency rent or utility bills, often paying up to three months of back rent. For many tenants holding an eviction notice, coordinators describe the program as the difference between staying housed and losing everything.
What officials and families say
According to News4JAX, the program’s team estimates a success rate above 80 percent and reports that more than 400 households have received help so far. The outlet spoke with beneficiary Shamekia Bell, who described the assistance as “amazing,” crediting it with keeping her family stable. Eviction coordinator Brooke Golzbein told the station the stakes are high in Duval County, where “we have so many evictions filed every year, over 14,000 to 15,000.”
Who runs it
The initiative is structured as a partnership between the City of Jacksonville and the courts, launched in January 2024 to move help to tenants quickly. It brings the Fourth Judicial Circuit together with nonprofits and funders in a coordinated effort. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid helped design the model and handles legal screening and tenant navigation, while partner agencies take on case management and payment processing so money can land where it is needed before an eviction goes through.
How the program works
The eligibility rules are intentionally tight. Households must live in Duval County, show a recent one-time financial hardship alongside a prior history of on-time rent payments, and meet the ALICE income threshold. Each qualifying household must also include a child, a senior, a veteran, or a disabled adult. The program can pay up to three months of back rent, but only if the landlord gives written consent to participate. Once that consent hits the inbox, coordinators have a 30-day window to verify documents and process payment.
The program’s official materials spell out which forms are required and tell landlords to email written consent to [email protected] to start the process. More information on procedures and documents is available through the Jacksonville Eviction Diversion Program.
Results and budget questions
City committee materials presented in October 2025 show the program served 383 families through September of that year. About 84 percent of those assisted households were still housed six months later, and officials estimated a $5.2 million return in avoided homelessness costs. Presenters told council members the model is working but constrained by the amount of money available, and they urged the council to consider continued support during future budget talks.
Jewish Family & Community Services, one of the partner agencies, describes the mix of rapid financial help and hands-on case management as “a game changer,” saying staff on the ground can move families from court triage to payments and wraparound services quickly. Partners also emphasize fraud checks and documentation requirements as a way to make sure every dollar goes toward housing stability and not somewhere else…