Title:
Legal Aid of NC: Housing Evictions
Summary
ACTION:
Receive a report from Ted Fillette, the Executive Director of Legal Aid of North Carolina, on evictions in Charlotte and their eviction prevention program
Staff Contact: Michael A. Bryant, Management & Budget Director
Presentation: Yes
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Approximately 30,000 formal evictions are filed in Mecklenburg County's courts annually and landlords are represented in about 80% of the cases. Because of the limited resources at Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC), only about 1% of tenants are represented by counsel; and many families are evicted needlessly. Evictions cause these problems: (1) harm to the physical and mental health of families, including adverse impacts on the development of and school achievement of children; (2) permanent barriers to future housing opportunities; (3) tenants migrating to unsafe and unhealthy housing; (4) long-term homelessness; (5) loss of work time and even loss of jobs, and (6) deterioration of neighborhoods. Evictions are a cause of perpetuating poverty as well as a result of poverty. Other tenants suffer from unsafe and unhealthy housing conditions that are illegal and can be remedied.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A