Community Legal Aid launches new project to curb eviction crisis
With major media outlets like the New York Times reporting an upcoming “avalanche” of evictions to plague the country in coming weeks and months, Legal Aid has been gearing up for the same here in Northeast Ohio.
Cora (name changed to protect client anonymity) was thrilled when her boyfriend, who lived out of state, got a job offer near where she lives in Ohio. They made plans, and he started the moving process. But when he arrived at the end of March, he was told his job no longer existed because the COVID-19 pandemic had forced his new employer to close. With no income and no place to live, the two seniors decided the best thing to do was for him to stay with her.
But Cora’s landlord considered her boyfriend an “unauthorized occupant” and let Cora know her month-to-month lease was being terminated.
At the same time, just one county over, Rachel (name also changed) and her husband both found themselves out of work when their employers closed because of COVID-19. With unemployment benefits pending and no sign of their CARES stimulus payment, they reached out to their landlord to let them know they’d be unable to pay their rent.
They were served with an eviction notice.
In both of these real cases, Community Legal Aid stepped in and helped Cora and Rachel negotiate with their landlords and, ultimately, stay in their homes, explained Steven McGarrity.
“These real-life stories illustrate the devastating impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on low-income renters in Northeast Ohio,” said McGarrity, executive director of the nonprofit law firm. “And both are examples of how having an attorney can literally be the difference between keeping your home and being homeless in the middle of a public health crisis.”
An innovative approach to community lawyering
With major media outlets like the New York Times reporting an upcoming “avalanche” of evictions to plague the country in coming weeks and months, Legal Aid has been gearing up for the same here in Northeast Ohio.
“We know the demand for attorneys is going to be greater than what we can do, so we’re looking at nontraditional ways of helping renters who may find themselves in the crosshairs,” said John Petit, Legal Aid’s managing attorney for housing programs. “That’s why we’re launching TAP.”
The Tenant Assistance Project allows renters who are facing or fearful of an eviction to get the legal help they need, when they need it.
“We know that timing is everything when it comes to evictions,” Petit said. “You don’t need help until you do, and when you do, everything moves very quickly. Someone facing an eviction could literally be out of their home within a month, if they don’t handle it right. It’s complicated. The legal system isn’t friendly to the general public. It was set up by lawyers, for lawyers. And if you don’t understand the intricacies of filing the correct paperwork or how to ask the court for things like more time to prepare your case, you can really be set up for failure from the beginning.”
This is where TAP comes in. The program offers free, on-demand help for renters at whatever stage in the process they’re in:
—A hotline number tenants can call to speak with an attorney and get advice on their situation.
—A virtual clinic offered each Tuesday at 4 p.m. where attendees can call in or join from their computer to get some general information on the eviction process, plus have a chance to speak with an attorney about their situation.
—An online toolkit that walks renters through whatever stage of the eviction process they are in, helps them prepare for court and provides template documents they’ll need.
“We’re really trying to think outside the box in addressing this crisis,” McGarrity said, adding the innovative measures are an extension of other new things the organization has been trying, like its weekly Ask a Lawyer live events on Facebook.
Tapping into local resources
Another hallmark of the project, according to Petit, is the connection with other community agencies looking to curb this crisis.
“There are organizations in all the counties we serve that are offering emergency rental assistance,” Petit said. “That money can be a game changer when it comes to negotiating with a landlord to try to get people to stay in their homes.”
McGarrity emphasized these partnerships provide a win-win scenario for everyone involved.
“We get that landlords are business owners and they rely on rent payments to pay their own bills,” he said. “But evicting someone who lost their job because of the pandemic isn’t going to help them get their money. This can also help avoid a backlog in the courts if we’re able to work out these deals to keep people housed and make landlords at least partially whole.”
Among those organizations offering renters assistance are Job and Family Services, Continuums of Care, local United Ways and Fair Housing groups, and many religious and secular charities.
The easiest way to tap into these resources is to call 211 or reach out to Legal Aid. A list of local assistance providers also can be found in the online eviction toolkit at www.communitylegalaid.org/eviction.
How to get help
If you’re facing eviction or are fearful you might be soon, reach out to Legal Aid right away.
Call the Tenant Assistance Hotline at 330-983-2528 or visit www.communitylegalaid.org/eviction for more information or to find out about upcoming virtual eviction clinics.
If you’d like to apply for legal help, call 800-998-9454 or apply online 24/7 at www.communitylegalaid.org/apply to see if you qualify for free legal assistance.