A program that will help some renters avoid evictions by making lawyers available to represent them was approved Monday by Akron City Council.
In a 13-0 vote, council members agreed to spend $250,000 annually for three years, beginning this fall, on a pilot program intended to reduce the number of evictions.
The program is slated to start Sept. 1. Two groups of renters will be eligible for the Right to Counsel program — those who are at or below the poverty line and have minor children and those who are at or below the poverty line and are disabled seniors 60 years old or older. The federal poverty measure is $15,650 for an individual or $32,150 for a family of four.
Additionally, tenants must be within seven days of eviction in order to have lawyers from Community Legal Aid work to resolve their case.
At a Budget & Finance Committee meeting Monday afternoon, Akron City Council Member Eric Garrett said he was “overjoyed” to hear about the proposal.
“This is a real gamechanger,” he said of the Right to Counsel program. “This is amazing.”
Garrett said in addition to helping renters stay in their homes, the program would benefit landlords who want to give people a chance.
How many evictions are there in Akron?
In 2024, 3,055 eviction cases were filed in Akron, said Ryan Maxwell, a managing attorney for Community Legal Aid Services who helped to create the program. Of the evictions filed last year, 88% of landlords had an attorney while only 3% of tenants did. He said those numbers have been largely consistent since 2022.
Under the pilot, the Right to Counsel program could increase the number of renters who are represented to 10%.
When people are first presented with an eviction notice, many of them “ghost the situation,” said Joe Scalise, the director of housing services for United Way of Summit & Medina counties. He told council members at the committee meeting that the organization plans to use its resources to help reach people who don’t respond to notices and don’t show up in court because when they choose not to, “the damage is done.”
Esther L. Thomas, Akron’s council liaison, previously said the pilot program aimed to reach Akron’s most vulnerable residents before expanding to other groups.
“Let’s throw the lifeline to these folks first,” Thomas said. “We want people with the most need.”
