Filed 11/8/2021 4:25:00 PM Supreme Court Eastern District

21 EM 2020

Received 11/8/2021 4:25:56 PM Supreme Court Eastern District

n accordance with the Court’s Order of October 28, 2021, the Honorable Tom Wolf, 
Governor  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  hereby  files  this  response  in 
support of the Philadelphia Municipal Court’s Request to continue the Philadelphia 
Municipal Court Landlord-Tenant Diversion Program for 120 days.   
 

1.  On August 2, 2021, the Governor wrote a letter in support of continuing the 
Philadelphia  Municipal  Court  Landlord-Tenant  Diversion  Program 
(Diversion Program).   

2.  On August 16, 2021, this Honorable Court authorized the extension of the 

Diversion Program through October 31, 2021. 

3.  The Governor’s office has been closely following the successes in counties, 
such as Allegheny, Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia, which have been 
able to distribute over $107,261,844.31 in state allocated ERA funding as of 
the end of October to over 16,635 households.   

4.  Philadelphia, with its pre-filing Diversion Program, is leading the nation in 
disbursement of rental assistance and continues to be held out by researchers 
and the Department of Justice as a national model.   

5.  This work has been essential to the Commonwealth’s efforts to stabilize the 

economy during the pandemic. 

6.  Counties  across  Pennsylvania  still  have  74,642  applications  pending  and 

$485,463,777.05 ERA dollars to distribute.   

7. 

If these counties’ ADR programs end at this time, including the Diversion 
Program  at  issue  here,  then  the  Commonwealth  could  face  a  deluge  of 
eviction court filings that would overwhelm the court systems.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA 
EASTERN DISTRICT 

N RE:  FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF 
PENNSYLVANIA 

 

 

 

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No. 21 EM 2020 

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8.  This would be a disservice to both landlords and tenants who would have 
long waits for court dates while still waiting on  pending rental assistance 
applications.   

 

 

 

 

9.  This Diversion Program,  as well as other ADR programs that utilize pre-
filing processes, has been successful in swiftly distributing rental assistance 
and  resolving  landlord-tenant  matters  without  the  need  for  costly  and 
prolonged court proceedings.   

10.  Each county and its President Judge is well-positioned to determine what 
resources and challenges their particular county has and to make decisions 
in the best interest of their county.   

11.  Therefore,  the  Governor  supports  the  Philadelphia  Municipal  Court’s 

Request to continue the Diversion Program for 120 days.   

12.  Alternatively, the Governor requests that the Court expedite consideration 
of  a  simple  rule  of  procedure  that  expressly  authorizes  local  courts  to 
implement  ADR  procedures  in  residential  eviction  proceedings  by  local 
rule.   

13.  Either action would help to ensure that local counties have the flexibility to 

continue this important work.  

ate:  November 8, 2021  
 
 

 

 

 
 

______________________________ 
GREGORY G. SCHWAB 
General Counsel 
Attorney I.D. 93310 
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL 
333 Market Street, 17th Floor 
Harrisburg, PA 17101 
Tel: (717) 787-9350 

 

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