Solutions story helps advance pay-to-stay housing policies

A month after a Cleveland public radio station aired a solutions story (https://www.ideastream.org/news/several-ne-ohio-cities-consider-pay-to-stay-eviction-prevention-laws) examining the trend of “pay-to-stay” housing legislation, the city of Lakewood in northeast Ohio passed a similar measure, and city leaders in two other communities in northeast Ohio introduced the idea. The story, by Ideastream, examined what happened in other Ohio cities that had already implemented the measure, which allows tenants behind on rent to remain in their homes if they pay what they owe before local courts process the eviction. (Ohio is one of five states that allow landlords to file for eviction as soon as a payment is missed, without offering tenants any extra time to come up with the money.) Ideastream is part of the SJN-sponsored Northeast Ohio Solutions Journalism Collaborative. Housing advocates note that the widely shared story is helping educate the public and landlords.