Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Alexandria, Virginia used American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to stand up and maintain a local eviction database. The new resource has helped policymakers, housing advocates, and legal aid organizations develop data-driven responses to housing insecurity and keep residents in their homes.  

Other states, cities and counties can follow Alexandria’s example to advance their understanding of evictions, but time is running out to obligate ARPA funds by the December 2024 deadline. As of June 2023, only 59 percent of ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocated to local governments had been obligated.  

Join New America and the National League of Cities on Wednesday, February 14th at 12PM EST to learn how state and local governments can use ARPA funds to collect, share, and analyze eviction data. Representatives from the city of Alexandria will share their experience ahead of a Q&A session with Karen Lash, a legal aid expert who will provide strategies for how to leverage this funding to build local capacity to better understand evictions.   

Speakers: 

  • Lauren Lowery, Director, Housing and Community Development, National League of Cities 
  • Karen Lash, Senior Fellow, Georgetown Justice Lab  
  • Katherine Key, Performance Analyst, City of Alexandria, VA 
  • Mary Horner, Housing Justice Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Services of Northern Virginia 
  • Yuliya Panfil, Director, Future of Land and Housing Program, New America