The Durham City Council is considering extending an eviction-diversion program for another year to help keep more low-income residents in their homes.
But a tense discussion at Thursday’s council meeting raised questions about whether the program is reaching tenants early enough to prevent eviction filings and whether mediation is working the way the city intended.
The city’s Eviction Diversion Program operates through a contract with Legal Aid of North Carolina. The council is considering extending the agreement from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027, and adding another $725,000 from the city’s housing fund to increase the total contract amount from $725,000 to $1.45 million…