PROVIDENCE – The state is expanding its legal services program for housing stability and eviction prevention.
Gov. Daniel J. McKee announced Wednesday the state has partnered with Rhode Island Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm, to lead the initiative and help low-income Rhode Islanders avoid eviction.
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The law firm, which was awarded a $3.1 million contract by the R.I. Department of Housing for the initiative, will provide housing-related legal services to tenants with a household income lower than 80% of the area median income.
“All Rhode Islanders deserve fair and equitable opportunities to secure and maintain safe, affordable housing,” said McKee. “As we continue to make both immediate investments in our statewide shelter capacity and long-term investments in permanent housing, this program aims to prevent homelessness by providing at-risk individuals and families with the legal resources they need to stay in their homes.”
Services include legal representation in eviction cases, mediations with landlords, case management and counseling, said McKee. Rhode Island Legal Services will work in partnership with subcontractors the Rhode Island Center for Justice, Direct Action for Rights and Equality and HousingWorks RI at Roger Williams University.
“Providing access to legal counsel is an effective way to reduce evictions, helping to prevent homelessness for individuals and families,” said R.I. Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor. “We are grateful to Rhode Island Legal Services and their partners for undertaking this important work.”
The expansion is being supported by the state’s allocation of federal Emergency Rental Assistance 2 program dollars for housing stability services as awarded in the American Rescue Plan Act.
“This is an unprecedented investment in housing stability for Rhode Islanders,” said Steven S. Flores, the director of RILS Housing Law Center. “It will allow RILS and its partners to offer a range of legal help to thousands more low-income Rhode Islanders as they struggle to stay safely housed or avoid disruptive displacements, which can push families to the breaking point. The services will ultimately benefit all Rhode Islanders in the long run because they will reduce the costs for emergency services, reduce job losses due to homelessness, and facilitate more stable communities.”
Claudia Chiappa is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Chiappa@PBN.com.
Who is going to want to build apartment housing in RI, if they can’t evict the tenants? Duh?