Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is a non-profit regional law firm that provides high quality legal assistance in civil matters to help eligible low-income individuals and groups in western Ohio achieve self reliance, and equal justice and economic opportunity.
Free Legal Aid Services for Eviction Prevention Pilot Program to Launch on November 12
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) and Learn to Earn Dayton have aligned with community partners to implement an Access to Counsel eviction prevention pilot program in Dayton, with specific geographic focus in Northwest Dayton.
This Access to Counsel pilot program provides legal representation and wrap-around services for up to 125 families in Northwest Dayton over the period of one year, launching November 12, 2024. The program has been designed leveraging the national expertise of Stout, and will be implemented by ABLE in partnership with Learn to Earn Dayton. Support for the program has been provided by Blue Meridian Partners and the Dayton Legal Heritage Foundation of The Dayton Foundation, with support from the Wright-Patt Credit Union Sunshine Fund.
Access to Counsel will meet the varied needs of tenants, providing both legal representation and social work, education, and empowerment. While the underlying goal is eviction prevention, the outcome could look different depending on the tenant’s needs. A key aspect of this pilot is the data tracking and comprehensive evaluation, as the team works to determine how to scale to program to a larger geography and track if eviction prevention now may lead to greater economic mobility.
Eviction rates are proven to significantly impact family economic mobility, neighborhood stability, and student success. It is especially detrimental to students, as housing instability is the greatest predictor of students' chronic absenteeism from school; in 2023, 63% of students experiencing homelessness were chronically absent from school. Even with these negative ramifications well recognized, tenants in Montgomery County have no right to legal counsel when facing eviction.
“Housing is a clear imperative and one that was lifted up by Northwest Dayton residents in the Power of Place Plan,” said Learn to Earn Dayton CEO Stacy Schweikhart. “It is the greatest predictor of students' chronic absenteeism from school. Learn to Earn Dayton is excited to work in partnership with ABLE and our community partners to help address housing instability in Northwest Dayton which threatens the safety of the most vulnerable populations.”
According to data compiled by the Ohio Supreme Court, landlords filed 13,142 eviction actions in Municipal Courts in Montgomery County from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023. This means that 126 tenants per week, on average, are being served with eviction court papers in Montgomery County. According to data from the City of Dayton Clerk of Courts office, over 3,000 evictions were filed in the Dayton Municipal Court in 2023 with 48% of those eviction filings occurring in just two Northwest Dayton zip codes: 45405 and 45406.
There is a significant imbalance of power with 83% of landlords being represented by an attorney and only 4% of tenants being able to secure one. Other cities and states have adopted policies to guarantee legal representation, dramatically reducing eviction rates with nearly 90% of tenants winning their cases. Right to counsel policies have also led to cost savings for the jurisdictions in reduced health/human service expenses.
“Access to Counsel is a critical tool in addressing the housing crisis, reducing homelessness, and increasing housing stability for tenants in Northwest Dayton,” said ABLE Senior Attorney Debra Lavey. “ABLE is excited to take a holistic approach to advocacy through a team of an attorney, social worker, and community organizer to address this systemic issue here in our community. We are grateful for Learn to Earn Dayton’s partnership in this Access to Counsel pilot project.”
Beginning November 12, any tenants facing eviction living in Northwest Dayton (zip codes 45405 and 45406) with a household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, pregnant, or have children living in the home are encouraged to apply directly or through a referral agency for ABLE’s services through the Legal Aid Line intake line at 1-888-534-1432 or www.legalaidline.org; or visit ABLE’s Dayton office at 130 West Second Street, Ste. 700, Dayton, Ohio 45402.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Access to Counsel pilot program here.
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About Learn to Earn Dayton: Learn to Earn Dayton is the regional cradle-to-career intermediary organization, leveraging data, policy, and partnerships to improve student outcomes along the educational continuum with the goal of increasing the number of students who earn a college degree or marketable credential. Learn to Earn Dayton serves the community as a convener, collaborator, innovator, and incubator, centering youth voices and driving for solutions that can improve our local communities. More information at learntoearndayton.org.
About ABLE: Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is a nonprofit law firm established over 50 years ago to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our communities have the same access to justice as people and companies that can afford to retain an attorney. ABLE and its partner law firm, Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO), are the only law firms available for comprehensive legal representation in non-criminal matters for more than 385,000 people living, working, and raising their families in poverty in Northwest and West Central Ohio. ABLE advocates for – and with – financially disadvantaged individuals and communities to effectuate just and equitable policy changes that address the structural causes of poverty and to protect their right to fairness and justice in the legal system. More information at www.ablelaw.org.