EDEN's Homeless/Eviction Prevention Fund

EDEN and its Continuum of Care (CoC) partners believe housing programs are effective only if they are able to help difficult-to-house persons both secure and maintain their housing. For this reason, we developed the Homeless/Eviction Prevention Fund (the Fund) to keep them from returning to homelessness. The Fund has two purposes: (1) help them secure housing; and (2) once they are housed, help them keep their housing.

In 2025, EDEN received federal grants to distribute emergency financial assistance to those who were at risk of losing their housing (ARPA) and those who were financially impacted by the COVID pandemic (ERA 2). These grants were supplemented with funds from the ADAMHS Board, the MHARS Board of Lorain County, OHMAS/Stepping Up, Healthy Lakewood, the Norfolk Southern Foundation, and GlobalGiving. Because of the support of these generous donors, we distributed $4,599,637 in emergency financial assistance to 1,076 households/2,410 individuals who would have lost their housing without this assistance. 

Demographics of those who were assisted:

• 44.7% of the households are comprised of individuals; 55.3% are families of 2 or more
• 88.9% of the households earn less than 50% of the Area Median Income
• 75.9% of the heads of househoushold are Black/African American; 8.5% are white; 4.4% are Hispanic; 0.5% are Asian/Asian American; 0.4% are American Indian/Alaska Native; and 0.2% are Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. 9.3% of the recipients declined to answer this question. 
• Of the 797 heads of household, 9.6% are young adults age 18-24; 85.3% are adults; and 4.7% are seniors age 65 and over. 0.4% declined to answer this question. 
• Of the 2,410 persons who found or kept their housing because of this assistance, 1,173 (or 48.7%) were children younger than 18. 
• 72.2% of the heads of household are women; 26.6% are men; 0.9% are transgender; and 0.1% are non-binary. 0.2% either did not know/were questioning or did not answer the question. 
• 76.4% of the heads of household were heterosexual/straight; 4.2% were homosexual/gay/lesbian; 1.5% were bisexual; 0.1% were pansexual; and 0.3% were questioning/unsure. 17.6% of them declined to answer the question. 

EDEN provides housing services for households with special needs, including families either currently fleeing or have previously experienced domestic violence and/or human trafficking (103 households), veterans (22 heads of household), and persons with a disability (330 heads of household). 

Monies were distributed to assist with the following. Parenthetical information includes number of applications approved and the amount of funding spent. 

• Application fees (34 - $1,074.79)
• Holding fees (1 - $99)
• Security deposit (303 - $203,068.00)
• Second security deposit (20 - $31,184.00)
• Double security deposit (1 - $1,998.00)
• First month's rent (183 - $40,853.00)
• Future rent (984 - $1,306,650.94)
• Inspection repairs reimbursement (1 - $1,500.00)
• Rent arrearages (652 - $2,152,699.03)
• Late fees (377 -  $61,862.68)
• Damage repairs reimbursement (2 - $877.50)
• Utility arrearages (481 -  $735,952.61)
• Hotel stays while repairs are being made or units are being prepared for occupation (159 -  $20,904.05)
• Deep cleaning for hoarding situations (2 - $1,600)
• Housekeeping and training for housing maintenance (1 - $485.17)
• Household items such as furniture, small appliances, bedding, towels, etc. (15 -  $15,775.00)
• Lease renewals (7 - $14,000)
• Other assistance to help households find/keep their housing (121 -  $9,054.00)

EDEN is committed to ensuring the long-term success and impact of its Homeless/Eviction Prevention Fund. Recognizing that housing stability is both a foundational need and a cost-effective intervention, we have developed a multi-pronged strategy to sustain and grow this critical resource over time.

1) Diversified Funding Strategy: EDEN is adept at securing, utilizing, and tracking funding from a variety of sources. We will continue to leverage a blend of public and private funds—including federal, state, and local government grants, philanthropic contributions, and individual donations—to support this work. Our executive, housing program, and resource development teams continuously monitor funding opportunities and responds to emerging needs with timely and strategic proposals.

2) Advocacy and Policy Engagement: EDEN will actively advocate for increased public investment in homelessness and eviction prevention programs at the local, state, and federal levels. We utilize data-driven outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of prevention services, and we regularly engage with policymakers, community stakeholders, and Continuum of Care (CoC) partners to promote sustained and expanded public support.

3) Outcome Measurement and Impact Reporting: We are committed to rigorous tracking of program outcomes, including households stabilized, eviction filings prevented, and cost savings to emergency systems. These metrics not only guide program improvements but also serve as compelling evidence for current and prospective funders. By clearly demonstrating the return on investment, we strengthen our case for continued and expanded funding.

4) Community and Landlord Engagement: EDEN’s prevention programs rely on strong partnerships with local landlords and community-based organizations. We will continue to build these relationships through landlord incentive efforts, tenant mediation services, and public awareness campaigns to foster long-term community support and participation in homelessness prevention.

By combining strategic fundraising, disseminating evidence of strong program performance, active advocacy, and deep community partnerships, EDEN will be well-positioned to ensure the Emergency Homelessness/Eviction Prevention Fund can remain a vital, enduring solution for vulnerable households in our community.

EDEN is truly honored to partner with GlobalGiving participants in our shared goal of significantly improving the well-being and quality of life of economically disadvantaged persons by providing needed assistance to help them secure and maintain their homes.

If you have any questions about our application or programming, require additional information, or would like to make a site visit to EDEN, please send an email to webmaster@edencle.org. 

Thank you for your support of EDEN's mission: providing housing solutions to people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurities. 

• Emergency Financial Assistance Participants Served (PDF)