Many Detroiters facing eviction have the right to free legal help. That doesn’t mean they know it

In meetings around the city last week, Documenters learned that state and federal officials are suggesting lower allowable levels of lead in drinking water. This may sound like a great idea on the surface, but the ramifications may increase other environmental concerns.

We also learned that the Detroit Economic Development Corp. is increasing the number of Detroiters who can benefit from Motor City Match, with expansions to help residents whose homes were overassessed and those serving as participants in ShotStoppers , a community violence intervention program.

There were changes at the Board of Police Commissioners following a newly released inspector general report naming several commissioners. Wayne County is tracking the growing sum collected from the state’s opioid settlement fund and deciding how to spend it. And in what should be a surprise to no one, City Council approved $300 million in tax breaks for the Future of Health development in New Center. The decision was called “ reverse reparations ” by a public commenter at the council’s Reparations Task Force meeting. It’s something to chew on.

Documenters also dropped in on the Office of Eviction Defense Right to Counsel meeting, where local leaders, residents and even judges spoke out on the continued need to help Detroiters facing eviction.

Utilities

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is considering increasing the use of an additive to prevent lead in the water system from leaching into drinking water. The possible increase of the additive, orthophosphate , is due to pending changes by state and federal officials to tighten lead standards.

GLWA Board Member Gary Brown, board representative for Detroit and director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, supported the increase. Brown said keeping the trust of consumers is of paramount importance, and any time measurements hit the actionable level set by the government, it sets off “bells and whistles” that cause people to question their water’s safety. Brown said Detroit is trying to replace 10,000 lead service lines each year and needs to “buy time” to get them all removed, after which the levels of orthophosphate can be safely lowered again.

Use of the agent has certain downsides. For every three pounds of orthophosphate added to drinking water, a pound has to be removed during wastewater treatment. This requires the use of a different chemical, ferrous chloride, which has recently gone up in price. Another downside: higher levels of phosphorus released into the Detroit River could exacerbate algae bloom issues in the southwest Lake Erie Basin .

2/28/2024 Great Lakes Water Authority, Board of Directors , documented by Amber Umscheid and Shiva Shahmir

Housing

City housing officials, 36th District Court judges, housing justice advocates and other community members gathered for an update on Detroit’s right to counsel legislation . The ordinance, enacted in 2022, says low-income tenants facing eviction have the right to free legal services .

Office of Eviction Defense Executive Director Diamond Conley said there were 20,989 eviction cases filed in Detroit in 2023 — compared to 30,000 “pre-COVID.” Eviction cases are trending downward. However, Conley acknowledged that more than 20,000 eviction cases is still a lot. She said while about 80% of the eviction cases filed in 2023 were eligible for free attorneys, only about 59% of them received full free representation. In 2022, before the right to counsel ordinance was fully funded, 4% of tenants had a lawyer .

Allyson Putt, a member of the Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition and manager for public policy and advocacy strategy at the Detroit People’s Platform, said that sometimes at the end of an eviction hearing, people are referred to a room with a sign that says “legal services.” However, it’s not explicitly stated that the help is free. She worries this could be a gap in communication.

Judge Adam Sabree of the 36th District Court said he can’t give legal advice to the defense from the bench because judges need to remain impartial. Instead, Sabree suggested tenants get the information they need from the community. Putt had a different opinion, saying that informing tenants of their legal rights doesn’t discredit impartiality.

Conley said starting this month, officials from the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environment Department (BSEED) will be in landlord-tenant hearings to provide the judge with information about the landlord’s certificate of compliance. She said the Office of Eviction Defense is also improving the city’s escrow program , an option for tenants who need to pressure their landlord into performing basic repairs. The current escrow system excludes tenants without a written lease or ID, and those living in multifamily units.

2/29/2024 Detroit Office of Eviction Defense, Right to Counsel Public Meeting, documented by Amy Senese, Ashley Williams and Talia Gordon

Development

2/27/2024 Detroit Economic Development Corp., Board of Directors: With an eye on rapidly approaching funding deadlines, the board approved an amendment to the Motor City Match program guidelines to support City Council’s expanded efforts to compensate individuals whose homes were overassessed from 2009-16.

Documented by Lanita Carter and Perry Sylvester

Politics

2/27/2024 Detroit City Council, Formal Session: The council approved the tax incentives and expanded community benefits associated with the Future of Health development. Councilmembers Angela Whitfield Calloway, Gabriela Santiago-Romero and Mary Waters voted no.

Documented by Janelle James and Nathaniel Eichenhorn

For more on Detroit City Council, check out Malachi Barrett’s City Council Notebook at BridgeDetroit.

3/2/2024 Detroit City Council Reparations Task Force: Community members reported an inability to access the meeting via Zoom. Six virtual participants weren’t heard due to technical difficulties. Michael Imhotep, radio host of The African History Network Show, led a presentation on the case for municipal reparations, saying they have the greater potential for community power and faster action than federal reparations.

Documented by B W, Chandler Vaughan and Perry Sylvester

Finance

2/27/2024 Wayne County Commission, Ways and Means Committee: The committee discussed the county Treasurer’s Office investment portfolio, questioned the growing frequency of employee relocation expense reimbursements and discussed how incoming opioid settlement funds will be used.

Documented by Asha McElroy and Pamela Taylor

Policing

2/29/2024 Detroit Board of Police Commissioners: The board removed Willie Bell from his position of vice chair following the release of the Office of Inspector General’s report detailing improper handling of citizen complaints against police. Commissioners Bell and Lisa Carter were both named in the report.

Documented by Damien Benson and Pamela Taylor

For more on the Board of Police Commissioners, check out the latest BOPC Watch .

This story was written by Outlier Media’s Lynelle Herndon and Noah Kincade, with Detroit Documenters Amber Umscheid and Perry Sylvester.

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