Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Wednesday that the city has a plan to help residents avoid eviction after the end of this month.
That’s when a federal program that helped families struggling to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic is scheduled to end. Duggan said that program helped at least 19,000 Detroit families avoid eviction.
Duggan said financial rental assistance will no longer be available, but that the city has come up with other ways to help people facing possible eviction.
One way is through the city’s Detroit At Work Program. Duggan says it will offer rapid job placement for people who may be struggling to keep up with rent. “So if you feel like you're falling behind financially, Detroit at work will put you in a situation where you can raise your income, stay where you are, and be able to get that kind of assistance,” he said.
Duggan said another element of the program includes continuing to provide free attorneys for people fighting eviction in court. “We're going to offer legal assistance at landlord tenant court, 36th District Court,” he said. “If you're facing eviction and you show up for court, we will have a lawyer there for you.”
Duggan said the city will also continue emergency shelter placement for those who may no other housing options, and face imminent homelessness.
