BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Supreme Court has a new online tool to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords that could help renters avoid becoming homeless.

The court announced the tool Wednesday ahead of the ending of an nationwide eviction moratorium put in place by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help tenants unable to make rent payments during the pandemic and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The moratorium ends July 31.

The tool gives landlords and tenants in new eviction cases the opportunity to resolve their disputes outside court. It uses software that guides parties through a negotiation process and offers referrals to agencies that provide rental assistance.

The court plans to test the new tool in Ada County, which includes Boise, before making it statewide.

“Partly, this is about getting ahead of a number we don’t know much about: How many evictions are not being filed because the federal moratorium expires at the end of the month?” Idaho Supreme Court Communications Manager Nate Poppino told the Idaho Statesman.

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