NM Eviction Prevention & Diversion History

The NM Eviction Prevention & Diversion (NMEPD) program was founded in November 2021 by Winter Torres, President & Founder of Torres Legal Solutions, as part of a grassroots-based effort to protect New Mexican renters from eviction and displacement during the coronavirus pandemic. Based on program takeaways and client feedback, such as finding that eviction is rarely the only current crisis facing the household, NMEPD evolved into a nonprofit model to provide renters facing eviction an effective and responsive point of contact for stability services.  The model combines rapid intervention and outreach with legal, social, and financial support to prevent homelessness and address immediate threats to housing stability. NMEPD has assessed more than 17,000 eviction cases, directly served approximately 32,000 people and secured payment of roughly $8.5 million in rental assistance.  NMEPD recently distributed $255,000 in rental assistance to 95 households as part of the CONNECT Network within Santa Fe County, NM. NMEPD also successfully advocates for statewide housing and economic reforms such as the City of Albuquerque's anti-source of income discrimination for rental housing enacted in fall of 2022, an issue particularly relevant to the older adult population.