Evictions After Covid: A New Landscape

The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania's 2026 interactive report finds that in 2025 Pennsylvania recorded the first statewide decline since the pandemic, although eviction levels remain close to pre-pandemic rates.

The report states that nonpayment of rent remains the primary driver of evictions, with 93 percent of cases involving overdue rent, while eviction prevention and diversion programs are helping more cases end through withdrawals or settlements rather than court judgments for landlords.

Despite recent improvements, the data shows that approximately one in fifteen renter households in Pennsylvania still faces the risk of an eviction filing, with filings heavily concentrated in a small number of counties, highlighting the continued need for housing stability and eviction prevention efforts across the state.

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Pennsylvania Pays Millions to Coal Waste Companies

Pennsylvania continues to provide substantial public subsidies to companies that burn waste coal, a practice supporters say helps clean up abandoned coal refuse piles but critics argue slows the state's transition to renewable energy and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom nationally in renewable energy generation and currently produces more energy from waste coal than from solar power.

Lawmakers, environmental advocates, and industry representatives remain divided because waste coal plants provide jobs and fund environmental remediation efforts, but opponents contend that the growing costs of subsidies and environmental impacts warrant a new approach to cleaning up coal waste while accelerating renewable energy development.



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Pennsylvania Youth Voter Turnout: Registration May be the Hurdle

New research suggests Pennsylvania’s low youth voter participation is driven more by low registration rates than by apathy, noting that registered 18-year-olds vote at rates similar to many older age groups in major elections.

Civic advocates say barriers such as limited civic knowledge, feelings of political disillusionment, and a lack of connection to the voting process can discourage participation, making voter registration and civic education critical priorities.

Philadelphia organizations such as PA Youth Vote and Vote That Jawn are using peer discussions, arts, community organizing, and creative engagement strategies to help young people see themselves as active participants in civic life.

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Tracing Postsecondary Pathways in Washington

An August brief from MDRC finds that young adults follow a wide variety of pathways after high school, and that routes other than the traditional four-year college track can lead to postsecondary credentials, stable employment, and strong earnings outcomes.

The study identified 12 common postsecondary pathways and highlighted a significant opportunity for improvement among students who enroll in college but do not earn a credential, a group that includes more than one-third of Washington’s 2017 high school graduates.

Researchers explore how better understanding these diverse educational journeys can help policymakers and practitioners target support more effectively and advance Washington’s goal of increasing the share of adults with postsecondary degrees or credentials. 



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Opportunities for NYC’s Young People Through the Advance & Earn Program

The Advance & Earn Program is a New York City initiative designed to help young people ages 16 to 24 who are disconnected from school or work reengage through education, job training, credential attainment, and paid work experiences.

Based on program data and participant interviews, a MDRC study found that many participants faced significant barriers such as poverty, housing and food insecurity, limited work experience, and mental health challenges, but they benefited from the program’s supportive environment, individualized guidance, and financial assistance.

The report examines how Advance & Earn is successfully engaging youth and helping them build skills and work experience, while also identifying opportunities to strengthen career pathways, improve program coordination, and better align training and internships with participants’ long-term goals.

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Lessons on Advising and Coaching in Colleges and Workforce Development Programs

Recent research shows that effective advising and coaching can improve educational and employment outcomes when services address the full range of participants’ academic, career, financial, and personal needs.

Drawing on decades of MDRC research, this report identifies four key practices for success: providing holistic support, maintaining proactive and frequent contact, building strong and consistent relationships between staff and participants, and using data to monitor engagement and progress.

This article explores how colleges and workforce development programs can better help students, job seekers, and workers earn credentials and achieve career success by investing in evidence-based advising and coaching models that are intensive, personalized, and data-informed.



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