One in four renter households in Metro Atlanta faced an eviction filing last year, a rate more than three times the national average.

Researchers from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab came to The Atlanta History Center on September 10th to present findings on the region’s eviction crisis and discuss potential solutions with city officials, housing advocates, business leaders and other community stakeholders.

In 2025, landlords filed roughly 144,000 eviction cases across the five-county Metro Atlanta region.

“That’s a really big number,” Eviction Lab researcher Peter Hepburn said. The region has approximately one filing for every four renter households, 25 percent, compared with a national average filing rate of about 7 percent. New York City has roughly four times as many renter households, Hepburn said, yet Metro Atlanta recorded about 25,000 more cases.

But 144,000 filings do not mean 144,000 people were evicted.

An eviction filing begins when a landlord files a case with the court. From there, a tenant might pay overdue rent, move voluntarily or have the case dismissed. Other cases proceed to court and result in an eviction judgment and forced removal. Hepburn said a “huge portion” of Atlanta filings are dismissed before an executed eviction occurs.

Even without a completed eviction, a filing creates a lasting record that can make finding future housing more difficult. Eviction Lab found 36 percent of Metro Atlanta households receiving a filing had received another at the same address within the previous two years, a practice known as serial eviction filing.

Part of what distinguishes Atlanta is how quickly and inexpensively landlords can file. Hepburn said filing a case costs between $55 and $80 in the five-county region, compared with a national average of $110.

“They’re one month behind on rent,” Hepburn said. “That’s all it takes.”

Not all landlords file at the same rate. Just 100 buildings accounted for nearly 16 percent of Metro Atlanta’s cases, almost 23,000 filings. Researchers also pointed to corporate ownership as an important factor in eviction patterns.

“Most landlords rarely file an eviction, but there are some landlords that file a lot of evictions,” said Juan Pablo Garnham, Communication & Policy Engagement Manager at the Eviction Lab

Race is another striking divide. Black renters make up about 52 percent of renters in the five-county region but account for 69 percent of eviction cases. Black households earning more than $80,000 annually still face greater eviction risk than white households earning $20,000 annually.

Atlanta Chief of Staff Courtney English put the numbers in human terms, noting that a filing can disrupt families, schools, jobs and entire neighborhoods.

“Eviction isn’t just a housing issue; it’s an education issue, it’s an economic mobility issue, it’s a neighborhood stability issue,” English said.

Atlanta Chief Housing Officer Amanda Rhein said the magnitude was startling, even for officials already working on the issue.

“We were shocked at the magnitude, but not really surprised at the scale of the problem,” Rhein said. She said the findings underscore the urgency of the city’s anti-displacement and eviction prevention efforts.

Donnell Woodson, executive director of the City of Atlanta’s Housing Help Center in Mayor Andre Dickens’ office, called the findings a “very striking reality” and “sobering.” The Housing Help Center was created as a one-stop resource for residents facing housing instability.

Colin Delargy, assistant director for strategy with the city’s housing team, said timing matters.

“The earlier we can intervene, the better chance we have of preventing an eviction, keeping someone in place,” Delargy said.

AssuranceAmerica convened the Atlanta gathering as part of its philanthropic work addressing homelessness. The insurance company directs 5 percent of its profits toward efforts addressing homelessness and related causes in communities where it operates. Anne Osthelhoff, its vice president of corporate social responsibility, said businesses can also support nonprofits and employees facing financial hardship.

“Whatever they’re doing, they could add a zero and be a hero,” Osthelhoff said.

Ultimately, city officials said addressing eviction will require cooperation beyond City Hall.

“If we’re going to get it right, we’ve got to all solve this together,” Delargy said.

The Eviction Lab findings show the scale of that challenge: Behind Atlanta’s 144,000 filings are households navigating a system where falling one month behind on rent can be enough to begin the eviction process. Whether those filings end in removal or dismissal, researchers said the consequences can extend far beyond the courtroom.