HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2023.01.26 - 37858
AGENDA ITEM: Extension with Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Aid Defenders Association and Oakland
Mediation Center for the Legal Aid Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Program 23-16
ITEM CATEGORY: Contract
COMMITTEE MEETING: Board of Commissioners
DATE: Thursday, January 26, 2023 6:21 PM - Click to View Agenda
ITEM SUMMARY SHEET
DEPARTMENT SPONSORED BY
Health & Human Services - Neighborhood and Housing
Development
Penny Luebs
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
On June 30, 2021, the Board of Commissioners authorized targeted investments to address
immediate community needs by appropriating American Rescue Plan Local Fiscal Recovery funds
via Miscellanous Resolution #21284. One of the targeted investments was appropriating up to
$2,000,000 to enter into professional services contracts with qualified legal aid and assistance
organizations. The Neighborhood Housing and Development Division entered into three contracts
with Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Aid Defenders Association and Oakland Mediation Center to
provide assistance to Oakland County residents.
This is a request to extend the contract until all appropriated funding is used.
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: No
Committee members can contact Michael Andrews, Policy and Fiscal Analysis Supervisor at
248.425.5572 or andrewsmb@oakgov.com, or the department contact persons listed for additional
information.
CONTACT
Shane Bies, Manager Neighborhood &
Housing Development-UNI
Biess@oakgov.com
ITEM REVIEW TRACKING
Penny Luebs, Created/Initiated - 1/26/2023
David Woodward, Board of Commissioners Approved - 1/26/2023
Hilarie Chambers, Executive's Office Approved - 1/28/2023
Lisa Brown, Clerk/Register of Deeds Final Approval - 2/2/2023
AGENDA DEADLINE: 01/26/2023 7:06 PM
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2023-01-17 Public Health & Safety - Recommend to Board
2023-01-26 Full Board - Adopted
ATTACHMENTS
1. Oakland County ARPA Quarterly Reporting - Housing Legal Aid and Assistance
2. OC Legal Aid Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Flyer Final
3. PH&S Contract Renewal 2023-01-17
January 26, 2023
RESOLUTION #2023-2469 _ 23-16
Sponsored By: Penny Luebs
Health & Human Services - Neighborhood and Housing Development - Extension with
Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Aid Defenders Association and Oakland Mediation Center for the
Legal Aid Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Program
Chair and Members of the Board:
WHEREAS the United States Treasury allocated Oakland County $244,270,949 of Local Fiscal
Recovery Funds (LFRF) established under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021; and
WHEREAS under the guidance of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Final Rule for Coronavirus
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the County may use these funds at their discretion to support
eligible investments in public health expenditures, address negative economic impacts caused by the
public health emergency; replace lost public sector revenue; provide premium pay for essential
workers; and invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure; and
WHEREAS the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 health pandemic has exacerbated the limited or
uncertain availability of stable, safe, adequate, and attainable housing in Oakland County; and
WHEREAS of the more than 150,000 renters in Oakland County, 41.4% are cost burdened, paying
more than 30% of their income in rent; and
WHEREAS the Neighborhood & Housing Development Division was authorized via Miscellaneous
Resolution #21284 to enter into professional service contracts with Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Aid
Defenders Association and Oakland Mediation Center to provide assistance to Oakland County
residents experiencing crisis housing needs related to the pandemic, including eviction, foreclosure,
rent & utility bills, and other related issues; and
WHEREAS more than 3,500 households have been assisted with eviction or foreclosure prevention
since commencement of the program; and
WHEREAS $1,459,712.32 of funding for the program remains available; and
WHEREAS MR #21284 states the program may not exceed one year from commencement unless
authorized by the Full Board.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners approves
the County to extend the contracts with Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Aid Defenders Association and
Oakland Mediation Center until funding has been fully expended, subject to review by the Purchasing
Division and Corporation Counsel.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a report on program expenditures and success metrics will be
forwarded quarterly to the Public Health and Safety Committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the program will continue to be administered in conformance with
federal, state, and local legal requirements, Oakland County policies and procedures, and
Department of Treasury guidelines for the eligible expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act – Local
Fiscal Recovery Funds.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a budget amendment is not required at this time.
Chair, the following Commissioners are sponsoring the foregoing Resolution: Penny Luebs.
Date: January 26, 2023
David Woodward, Commissioner
Date: January 28, 2023
Hilarie Chambers, Deputy County Executive II
Date: February 02, 2023
Lisa Brown, County Clerk / Register of Deeds
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2023-01-17 Public Health & Safety - Recommend to Board
2023-01-26 Full Board - Adopted
VOTE TRACKING
Motioned by Commissioner Robert Hoffman seconded by Commissioner Yolanda Smith Charles to
adopt the attached Contract: Extension with Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Aid Defenders Association
and Oakland Mediation Center for the Legal Aid Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Program.
Yes: David Woodward, Michael Spisz, Penny Luebs, Karen Joliat, Christine Long, Robert
Hoffman, Philip Weipert, Gwen Markham, Angela Powell, Marcia Gershenson, Janet Jackson,
Gary McGillivray, William Miller III, Yolanda Smith Charles, Charles Cavell, Brendan Johnson, Ajay
Raman (17)
No: None (0)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: (0)
Passed
ATTACHMENTS
1. Oakland County ARPA Quarterly Reporting - Housing Legal Aid and Assistance
2. OC Legal Aid Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Flyer Final
3. PH&S Contract Renewal 2023-01-17
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true
and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on
January 26, 2023, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at
Pontiac, Michigan on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk / Register of Deeds
Project Overview Project Information
Project Name Housing Legal Aid and Assistance
Project ID 100000003459
Resolution ##21284
County Department/Organization Neighborhood Housing and Development Division
Primary Contact (Name/Title/Email/Phone)Shane Bies/Ken Dobson
Project Description
Enter into professional services contracts with qualified legal aid and assistance
organizations, including Legal Aid & Defender Association, Lakeshore Legal Aid, and
Oakland County Mediation Center Legal Aid, to provide assistance to Oakland County
residents experiencing crisis housing needs related to the pandemic, including eviction,
foreclosure, rent and utility bills, and other related issues.
Assigned Project Amount $2,000,000
Allocated Project Amount $2,000,000
Timeline One year from date of signing contract with annual option to renew.
Expenditure Category 2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Aid
Brief description of structure and objectives of assistance
program(s), including public health or negative economic
impact experienced
To enter into professional services contracts with qualified legal aid and assistance
organizations to provide assistance to Oakland County residents experiencing crisis
housing needs related to the pandemic, including eviction, foreclosure, rent and utility
bills, and other related issues.
Brief description of how a recipient’s response is related
and reasonably and proportional to a public health or
negative economic impact of COVID-19
Local legal aid programs will provide assistance to Oakland County residents experiencing
housing crises to help these individuals maintain their residences and prevent
homelessness.
Legal Aid Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Culmulative Programmatic Data
Programmatic Data Feb 2022 Mar 2022 Apr 2022 May 2022 Jun 2022 Jul 2022 Aug 2022 Sep 2022 Oct 2022
Households Assisted with Eviction 214 428 668 962 1,380 2,030 2,470 2,999 3,425
Households Assisted with Foreclosure 5 6 10 14 16 20 22 26 31
Total Households Assisted 219 434 678 976 1,396 2,050 2,492 3,025 3,456
Individuals Assisted with Eviction*408 913 1,343 1,832 2,601 3,690 4,468 5,512 6,121
Individuals Assisted with Foreclosure*18 18 22 27 29 34 38 41 47
Total Individuals Assisted*426 931 1,365 1,859 2,630 3,724 4,506 5,553 6,168
*One of the agency systems does not allow them to calculate the number of "individuals" assisted.
Are you facing eviction or foreclosure?
Legal assistance is available to residents of Oakland County.
If living in the following communities, contact the corresponding legal aid provider.
Berkley Milford
Commerce New Hudson
Farmington Novi
Farmington Hills Royal Oak
Ferndale South Lyon
Hazel Park Walled Lake
Highland White Lake
Madison Heights Wixom
Legal Aid Defender
P: 248.907.1427
E: housing@ladadetroit.org
W: ladadetroit.org
Oakland Mediation Center
P: 248.338.4280 • ext. 227
E: legalservices@mediation-omc.org
W: mediation-omc.org
Addison Twp. Oakland Twp.
Auburn Hills Oxford
Bloomfield Hills Rochester
Birmingham Rochester Hills
Clawson Troy
Davisburg Union Lake
Lake Orion Waterford
Leonard
Lakeshore Legal Aid
P: 888.783.8190
E: oaklandhousing@lakeshorelegalaid.org
W: lakeshorelegalaid.org
Clarkston Oak Park
Franklin Ortonville
Groveland Pleasant Ridge
Huntington Woods Pontiac
Holly Royal Oak Twp
Independence Springfield
Keego Harbor Southfield
Lathrup Village
Oakland County is committed to ensuring fair and equal housing opportunities for all. All citizens are guaranteed equal opportunity in financing and securing housing of their choice
regardless of age, disability, marital status, family status, sex, race, color, national origin or religion. If you or someone you know feels discriminated against while seeking housing
financing or looking for a home or rental property, contact the Oakland County Neighborhood & Housing Development Division at 248-858-5402.
LEGAL AID EVICTION AND
FORECLOSURE PREVENTION
q Oakland Mediation Center, Lakeshore Legal Aid & Legal Aid
Defenders Association administer the program
q Supports Oakland County residents during eviction and/or
foreclosure process
q Partners with individual district courts and take referral before
the court process
Legal Aid Assistance Eviction &
Foreclosure Prevention
q Oakland Mediation Center
q 248-338-4280 x227
q legalservices@mediation-omc.org
q www.mediation-omc.org
Legal Aid Assistance Eviction &
Foreclosure Prevention
q Lakeshore Legal Aid
q 888-783-8190
q oaklandhousing@lakeshorelegalaid.org
q www.lakeshorelegalaid.org
q Legal Aid Defenders
q 248-907-1427
q housing@ladadetroit.org
q www.ladadetroit.org
In the following communities, contact:
q >50% expended* ($1,019,000)
q *Not all reimbursement requests for 2022 have been processed
q Service unlikely to last through the summer with current funding
q Seeing an increase in eviction filings
q Partly due to backlog processing and new eviction notices
q One local district court increased the number of landlord/tenant
dockets, staffers, and judges to more quickly process the filings
February 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
Assisted Evictions Foreclosures
Households 4,400 37
Individuals 7,600 54
February 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
q ~80% of client goals were met
q Prevent eviction or involuntary move – 85% of clients
q Secure rent assistance – 17% of clients
q Secure time to move (30 days or more) – 13% of clients
q 66% of clients were currently employed
q Many others were on fixed incomes such as Social Security
q 25% of households with at least one adult with a disability
q 40% of clients with at least one child in the household
q 15% of households with a child had at least one child with a
disability
August 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
q Able to negotiate more time for a family being evicted on Christmas
day to arrange for housing assistance.
q This allowed family to remain in the home through the holidays
q Referral from Youth Assistance
q Mother had a new job as a forklift operator
q Two months behind on rent due to prior recent unemployment
q Negotiated additional time to pay back rent
q Tentatively approved payment plan and conditional dismissal
q On day of final hearing, client logged into wrong zoom link
q Judge entered Judgment of Eviction leaving her 10 days to vacate
q Re-negotiated with landlord a payment plan/Conditional Dismissal and
facilitated setting aside of eviction judgment
Stories Behind the Numbers