JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A program aimed at helping people living in Duval County avoid eviction has been renewed.
The Jacksonville Eviction Diversion Program will serve the community for another two years.
When Shamekia Bell lost her job back in February, she did not know where to turn.
"I felt lost, I felt defeated, I felt like there was no hope," Bell said.
Bell started picking up part-time work to provide for her three kids, but it was not enough to cover rent. She became behind on payments and late fees started adding up; she was being charged $25 a day.
"I was never able to keep up. And even if I did pay the rent, I had an additional $300 to $400 of just late fees," Bell said.
Bell said it was a daily struggle wondering how she was going to make ends meet for her family.
"You just feel stuck, you get depressed, you just don't wanna move forward," Bell said.
Then, her landlord approached her about Jacksonville's Eviction Diversion Program. It was created at the end of 2023 after the evictions increased by 124% since before 2020. There were more than 14,000 evictions in 2023 alone.
The program is a partnership between the City of Jacksonville, the LJD Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS), the United Way of Northeast Florida, the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. It is a first-of-its-kind program in Florida.
Colleen Rodriguez is the CEO of JFCS. Her organization is the main facilitator of the program.
"There's always that one-off, that unexpected medical bill, that loss of a job, families that have been working and living in their homes and paying their rent for years. They have that one circumstance that hits them," Rodriguez said.
She added: "How can we intervene at that point to help them prevent getting an eviction?"
According to data from Eviction Lab, there are about 1,100 evictions filed in Duval County each month. Rodriguez said their goal is to bring that number down and prevent people from having to leave their homes.
"The availability of affordable housing is still tight in our Jacksonville market. You talk about children in the home, every time a family moves, they have to change schools. We're trying to build community, people feel community where they live and to have to move every six or so months is not conducive to stability," Rodriguez said.
The program has been renewed for another two years with $2 million in funding. It works with both landlords and tenants to find the best path forward. JFCS will also help families with other resources if needed.
Since March 2024, the program has been able to help more than 150 families and now, more people will be eligible to join. The requirements will change to include people over the age of 55, people with disabilities and veterans.
Seven months since she lost her job, Bell now has a new job and a new apartment. Her family has also welcomed a new addition: her first grandchild. Bell now encourages anyone who might be in a similar position as she was to reach out for help.
"The kids love it. They're visibly happier, their attitudes are lighter. It's like a huge weight has been lifted off of all of us and it's just been really amazing," Bell said.
To learn more about the eviction diversion program, click here.