How can courts and legal actors warn a tenant about a possible eviction –so that they take action, connect with services, and avoid a forcible move? This new warning notice from Las Vegas is one example of a strategic, simplified design.
The Civil Law Self-Help Center in Las Vegas, Nevada has redesigned the notice that landlords give to tenants if they have not paid their rent. This ‘simplified’ notice should empower tenants to be more in control & able to use services to resolve the rental problems.
The key advantages of this new design:
Clear Deadline, that is listed explicitly & with priority placement
QR Code to the Answer Pathway, that can let a person easily fill in the online answer form to respond to the case
Clear Statement of Consequences if the person fails to act or engage with the process
Laying out the 3 Options that the tenant can take: answering, paying, or moving — so that the tenant can make an informed, quality choice about which of them is best (and the best way to pursue any of the 3)
Connecting the tenant to financial and legal help, so that the person understands who can help them & how to get this help
These new communication design strategies can help the warning achieve its goal: empowering the person to understand where they are in the legal process and take the best next action for them. Ideally, this notice will make a person feel the importance of the quick deadline, but also feel confident to call for help or take action to avoid a forcible, unwanted move.
Page one of the simplified notice about the possible eviction
This program provides individuals facing eviction with free advice and support, ranging from emergency financial aid to legal council, with the goal of helping citizens avoid eviction judgements and decreasing the number of eviction filings and verdicts in Durham County.
The Housing & Eviction Prevention Project (HEPP) in Indiana provides free legal, mediation, and social services to court. It includes integration into the court process, so once people are facing an eviction trial, they may be linked to services that can help them resolve their problem out of court.
