from WKYC: Cleveland’s ‘right to counsel’ bill helps keep residents in their homes, advocates say

"In this time where nationwide we're seeing more evictions everywhere, Cleveland has actually seen a decrease in the number of evictions, which is one reason why this program is so important," Shakarian said.

The program, a collaboration between Legal Aid and United Way of Greater Cleveland, helped more than 1,000 households facing eviction this year. Shakarian emphasized the importance of holding landlords accountable while ensuring tenants have legal representation.

"We're making sure that bad actors are being held accountable," she said. "That’s really important, too, for the landlords who are just trying to make an honest living."

Advocates said their goal extended beyond legal representation in court, aiming to intervene before eviction cases escalated.

"We don't need to wait until people are in an eviction hearing to intervene," said Jenn Kons, director of strategic initiatives at United Way of Greater Cleveland.

Kons said United Way has been working with Cleveland City Council on new legislation to strengthen tenant rights. The organization focused on ensuring residents understood their rights and had access to mediation with landlords or emergency resources before eviction proceedings began.

"We’ve also been working with city council on new legislation around tenant rights," Kons said. "How can we make sure tenants have the resources to understand their rights, have access to mediation with landlords, have access to emergency resources well before we get to the point of facing eviction?"

Advocates pointed to 2024 data as proof that the program was making a difference.

"We're serving the right people," Kons said. "We've included in a lot of folks that need representation, and (tried to make sure) that they're using it."

Cleveland residents in need of housing assistance can call 211 for further support.

Source: WKYC - Cleveland's 'right to counsel' bill helps keep residents in their homes