Reno Justice Court pilot keeps dozens of households housed by pairing aid with specialty dockets

Reno'Justice Court and the City of Reno''s Housing and Neighborhood Development presented results of an eviction-diversion pilot Thursday that officials said has helped dozens of households facing nonpayment eviction notices remain housed while their landlords were paid.

The pilot, branded as housing court, launched in August 2024 after the city used an allocation from Assembly Bill 396 to expand local rental-assistance work. "Applicants have to have an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent and be under 60% of area median income," Jana Litz, housing manager, told the council. Judge Kendra Burchi, a justice of the peace at Reno Justice Court, described the court''s role in coordinating court dockets with service providers so landlords receive prompt payment and tenants receive legal help and case management where appropriate.

The nut graf: the program pairs a specialty court docket with rental-assistance dollars and legal and financial navigation to prevent eviction and reduce repeat filings. City staff said the pilot intervenes once a tenant files a tenant affidavit in court and screens nonpayment cases for housing court eligibility; eligible households are referred to Opportunity Alliance financial navigators, Nevada Legal Services or Northern Nevada Legal Aid and other community partners while the court coordinates a hearing timeline.

City presenters told the council that through February 2025 the program had assisted 94 households representing 214 people, including seniors and people with disabilities. "About 22% of those households were very low income, under 30% of area median income," Litz said, and a landlord survey reported that 80% of participating households remained in the assisted unit.

Speakers and partners emphasized that success depends on steady funding. Staff reported spending about $420,000 of a $500,000 city allocation by February and said the pilot will exhaust that allocation by the fiscal year end. Chief supporters told the council they are tracking two state bills (Assembly Bill 475 and Senate Bill 283) that would appropriate rental-assistance funds more broadly; Judge Burchi encouraged council members to provide testimony or letters of support to lawmakers.

The court stressed that it cannot intervene until a legal eviction case is filed. "There has to be that eviction case that is started in order for our courts to become involved," Judge Burchi said when asked whether the court could help people before a notice is filed. Staff also noted a free civil self-help center housed at Reno Justice Court that provides immediate, onsite legal-assistance triage and language support for tenants who arrive with eviction notices.

City and court staff described next steps: pursue additional grant and legislative funding, apply for Administrative Office of the Courts grants to support a dedicated case manager, strengthen nonprofit legal-aid partnerships and expand outreach to reach eligible households earlier. Council members offered letters of support and said they would raise the matter with the legislature and local agencies.

Ending: Council members praised the partnership model linking the court, social services and landlords and urged staff to return with a funding plan that would sustain the court-based diversion approach beyond the pilot year.