Born during the COVID-19 pandemic, BASTA’s Eviction Mitigation Team (BEMT) works to erode the power imbalance between landlords and tenants - rooted in landlords’ power to evict- through tenant outreach activities, monitoring & tracking eviction activity, and community education materials development.
Using these tactics, BEMT locates the individual experience of eviction within the context of larger systemic and structural problems in order to address renters’ immediate needs, increase knowledge of the problem of eviction in Travis County, and test creative solutions.
Since 2020, BASTA has created a myriad of accessible educational materials on eviction rights, conducted dozens of Know-Your-Rights workshops and outreach events, developed a robust resource guide for tenants facing eviction, tracked over 1,400 court cases, called more than 1,600 tenants facing eviction, and distributed rights and resources information to over 25,000 apartment units. BASTA has also leveraged information obtained through its court tracking program to provide feedback to the courts that has resulted in better enforcement of tenant protections and notice requirements.
BEMT’s work also involves anchoring and resourcing the Eviction Solidarity Network, a coalition of local organizations who came together at the beginning of COVID-19 to address the pandemic’s impact on Austin’s renters. Through ESN, BASTA continues to educate and engage volunteers in various outreach and court support activities aimed at mitigating the ongoing pandemic of evictions.
