Study: Eviction filing rates drop statewide

Allegheny County recorded roughly 13,600 cases in 2025.

By MEGAN TROTTER
TribLive

Where a Pennsylvania renter lives may play a significant role in what happens after an eviction case is filed.

A new study suggests that programs connecting tenants with lawyers, mediators and rental assistance may be doing more than helping people navigate eviction court — they may be changing the outcome of cases altogether.

The study conducted by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia-based statewide housing advocacy organization, analyzed Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts data from 2019 through 2025.

It found that landlord- tenant cases filed in counties with established eviction-prevention programs were more likely to be withdrawn or settled before going to a judge for a decision, and consequently less likely to leave residents displaced and unsure where to go.

About 1 in every 3.5 cases was withdrawn or settled in counties with prevention programs, compared with just 1 in 13 in counties without them.

“Counties with established prevention programs show significantly higher withdrawal and settlement rates than those without, suggesting that program presence, whether through legal representation or landlord- tenant negotiation, is a meaningful driver of whether cases resolve before a judgment is entered,” the study said.

The data revealed in 2025 about 1 in 15 renting households faced an eviction filing in Pennsylvania, a decrease of over 5,000 filings compared to the previous year.

The judge most commonly makes a decision in favor of the landlord. However, there has been a nearly equal increase in cases withdrawn and settled as a decrease in judgments for the plaintiff when compared to pre-pandemic years.

“This trend can be attributed to the lasting impact of the targeted eviction prevention programs implemented across the state,” the study said.

Allegheny County, which has a developed network of eviction-prevention services, is among the counties with settlement and withdrawal rates well above the statewide average. Collaborative groups, such as the Allegheny Housing Stabilization Collaborative, work to prevent evictions and offer rental support.

But the need remains substantial.

Roughly 13,600 eviction cases were filed in Allegheny County in 2025 — down roughly 780 cases from the previous year. However, several neighborhoods in the southern part of the county had filing rates above the statewide average, according to the study.