Nashville’s Eviction Right to Counsel program paid off, study finds

An independent evaluation by Stout shows Davidson County’s Eviction Right to Counsel pilot helped 1,069 tenants in 2025, generating $4.3 million in public fiscal benefits and keeping hundreds of families from homelessness.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee April 13, 2026

$4.18Total return per $1 invested

1,069Tenants assisted in 2025

87%Client goals achieved

$4.3MPublic fiscal benefits

370Households kept stably housed

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A landmark independent evaluation of Nashville’s Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) pilot program has found that every dollar spent on free legal representation for tenants facing eviction generated $4.18 in total economic and fiscal returns — making the case that housing legal aid is not only a social good but one of the most efficient public investments Davidson County can make.

The report, prepared by the financial advisory firm Stout for the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, covers January through December 2025. It provides one of the most detailed cost-benefit analyses ever conducted on the ERTC program, which launched in July 2022 using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Program performance in 2025

In 2025, Legal Aid and the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association invested approximately $1.8 million delivering ERTC services to 1,069 Davidson County residents. That spending yielded an estimated $4.3 million in quantifiable public fiscal benefits — a return of $2.32 in direct government savings for every dollar invested. Including direct financial benefits to clients, the total return climbed to $4.18 per dollar.

“For every dollar spent on ERTC, Davidson County likely realized at least $2.32 in fiscal benefits — and clients saw an additional $1.86 in direct financial relief.” — Stout Independent Evaluation, March 2026

For clients who received extended legal services, attorneys achieved approximately 87% of stated case goals. The most common goal — preventing an eviction judgment or involuntary move — was achieved in 92% of cases. Securing rent assistance and reducing the amount owed were each achieved at rates above 90%.

In total, ERTC generated roughly $3.3 million in direct financial impacts for clients in 2025. For clients who experienced a measurable financial outcome, the average benefit was approximately $12,000, with a median of $7,800.

Where the fiscal savings come from

The largest single source of public savings was the cost of homelessness avoided. Stout estimated that 370 households were kept stably housed through ERTC in 2025, and that approximately 45% of them would otherwise have needed emergency shelter or housing social safety net services — at an estimated cost of $14,500 per household to Davidson County.

Category	Estimated Impact
Housing social safety net (emergency shelter, rapid rehousing)	$3.2 million
Retained economic value from minimizing out-migration	$310,000
Avoided criminal justice costs (forcible entry & vehicle theft)	$210,000
Reduced Medicaid spending on health care	$140,000
Improved educational attainment (high school completion)	$130,000
Employment stability / avoided unemployment assistance	$100,000
Federal and state funding retained for Metro Nashville Public Schools	$70,000
Avoided costs from criminalizing homelessness	$60,000
Total estimated public fiscal benefits	~$4.3 million

Who the program serves

The demographics of ERTC clients paint a picture of concentrated vulnerability. Approximately 77% identified as female and 65% identified as Black or African American — a striking contrast to Davidson County overall, where approximately 56% of residents are white and 25% are Black.

~30%of ERTC clients said they would face unsheltered homelessness if evicted

Acerca de 40% of clients had household incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. Among those clients, 56% had at least one child in the household and 33% reported having a disability. Job loss or reduced hours was the most commonly cited reason for falling behind on rent, accounting for 38% of responses.

Most clients owed relatively modest amounts: approximately 69% owed two months or less in back rent. Yet around 42% said they could not pay anything toward their arrears — in part because many Nashville landlords refuse to accept partial rent payments regardless of what a tenant can offer.

Ripple effects: crime, health, schools, and jobs

Beyond shelter costs, Stout modeled a range of secondary fiscal impacts. The report estimated Davidson County avoided approximately 30 forcible entries and 6 vehicle thefts in 2025 as a result of evictions prevented — translating to about $210,000 in avoided criminal justice costs. Research cited by Stout links higher eviction rates to higher rates of certain property crimes driven by housing instability.

The report also estimated roughly $140,000 in avoided Medicaid spending based on the higher rates of emergency room and inpatient hospital use among people experiencing homelessness. On education, Stout estimated that 14 high-school-aged children likely would not have completed school due to housing disruption without ERTC, yielding approximately $130,000 in avoided long-term social safety net costs.

An estimated 56 adults avoided job loss linked to displacement, saving Davidson County around $100,000 in unemployment-related social safety net spending. Approximately 13 children of ERTC clients who remained in Davidson County schools helped retain an estimated $70,000 in federal and state per-pupil funding for Metro Nashville Public Schools.

A coalition effort — and national context

ERTC is delivered through a coalition that includes Legal Aid, the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association, Nashville Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC), the American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC), and Rooftop Nashville. In 2025, NCRC mediated 130 housing disputes, with 79% ending in full agreement between landlords and tenants. Where financial settlements were reached, the average amount was $4,275.

The findings arrive as pandemic-era rent relief has fully dried up. The Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s Emergency Rental Assistance program, which had disbursed hundreds of millions since 2021, closed permanently on July 31, 2025. Rooftop Nashville now remains one of the few local agencies able to provide any meaningful rental assistance. Stout noted this likely contributed to a modest decline in direct client financial impacts compared to earlier years of the pilot.

The Stout evaluation is one of several the firm has conducted for eviction right to counsel programs nationwide. The estimated fiscal return in Davidson County — $2.32 per dollar in direct public savings — falls within the range of $2.19 to $4.80 Stout has observed in comparable programs across Connecticut, Cleveland, Maryland, Milwaukee, and Oklahoma.

At a glance

$12,000 Average direct financial benefit per ERTC client in 2025

65% of ERTC clients identified as Black/African American

92% of clients had “prevent eviction” goal — achieved 92% of the time

2022 Year ERTC launched in Davidson County using ARPA funds

What is Nashville’s Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) program?

Nashville’s Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) pilot program launched in July 2022 after the Davidson County Metro Council approved using American Rescue Plan Act funds to provide free legal representation, advice, outreach, and supportive services to eligible tenants facing eviction. Services are delivered through a coalition including the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association, Nashville Conflict Resolution Center, American Muslim Advisory Council, and Rooftop Nashville.How much does Nashville’s ERTC program return for every dollar invested?

According to Stout’s 2025 independent evaluation, Nashville’s ERTC program generated $4.18 in total financial return for every dollar invested. Of that, $2.32 per dollar represents direct fiscal benefits realized by Davidson County government, and $1.86 per dollar represents direct financial impact to individual clients.Who is eligible for free legal help through ERTC in Nashville?

ERTC prioritizes tenants facing eviction from public or subsidized housing, illegal lockouts and utility shutoffs, voucher terminations, discrimination cases, and tenants experiencing domestic violence. Second priority goes to private market tenants with repair issues or non-payment cases. All services are free to eligible Davidson County tenants. Contact the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands or the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association to apply.What percentage of ERTC client goals were achieved in 2025?

For extended service and limited scope cases closed in 2025, Legal Aid and the Hispanic Bar Association achieved approximately 87% of client case goals. The most common goal — preventing an eviction judgment or involuntary move — was achieved in 92% of cases. Securing rent assistance was achieved 92% of the time, and reducing the amount owed was achieved 95% of the time.What are the total fiscal benefits of Nashville’s ERTC program?

Stout estimates Davidson County realized at least $4.3 million in fiscal benefits from ERTC in 2025, including $3.2 million in avoided housing social safety net costs, $310,000 in retained economic value from minimizing out-migration, $210,000 in avoided crime response costs, $140,000 in reduced Medicaid spending, $130,000 related to improved educational attainment, $100,000 related to employment stability, $70,000 in retained federal and state school funding, and $60,000 related to avoided criminalization of homelessness.How does Nashville’s ERTC program compare to right to counsel programs in other cities?

Stout has conducted independent evaluations of eviction right to counsel programs in multiple jurisdictions, including Connecticut, Cleveland, Maryland, Milwaukee, and Oklahoma. Across those programs, the estimated dollar value of right to counsel typically ranges from $2.19 to $4.80 per dollar invested. Nashville’s return of $2.32 in direct public fiscal savings (and $4.18 total) falls squarely within that range, affirming the program’s efficiency relative to national peers.

Source: Stout Risius Ross. Independent Evaluation of the Eviction Right to Counsel Pilot Program in Davidson County / Nashville, January–December 2025. Draft, March 13, 2026. Prepared for the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands.

For media inquiries, contact the Sociedad de Ayuda Legal del Medio Tennessee y Cumberlands. For tenant assistance, call Legal Aid at 1-800-238-1443.