News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena have been restored. Click here to learn more.

Detroit’s Office of Eviction Defense has a delayed start

Matt Moloney
/
Unsplash

As part of the newly enacted ordinance, an Office of Eviction Defense was supposed to be created by Oct. 1. But no one has been hired yet. The city’s ordinance required the office provide lawyers to Detroiters who make below 200% of the federal poverty line and are facing an eviction.

Ruth Johnson spoke on behalf of Detroit’s Right to Counsel Coalition.

"Each day that the city does not follow the law or fund the law, more people are at risk of eviction and homelessness, more suffering," he said. "It's getting cold out here, folks."

Detroit’s city attorney said he hopes to hire a director and provide a contract to the city council later this month.

Briana Rice is a reporter/producer operating out of Detroit.