Advocates press Detroit council to fully fund Right to Counsel amid eviction and deed-fraud concerns

Several advocates and residents used the public-comment portion of the April 6 budget hearing to press the Detroit City Council to fully fund a Right to Counsel program that would provide attorneys for residents facing eviction.

Cassie Jones McBride, co-chair of the Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition, described a recent case in which a Detroit resident facing eviction by a party claiming ownership kept the home after a right-to-counsel attorney intervened. "With legal representation, that case was dismissed and reported to the city's deed Fraud Task Force," she said, and the coalition said similar assistance led to multiple dismissals that preserved residents' homes.

Community doulas and organizers emphasized connections between housing stability and public health: Danielle Hayes and Lorenda Lewis described medical and family harms when eviction is imminent and said counsel can materially improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum residents. Several commenters asked council to provide sustainable funding that reflects the scale of evictions and deed-fraud challenges.

During the hearing, multiple council members acknowledged the testimony and placed related items and account-creation language into closing resolution so staff and departments can return with funding options and implementation details.

Next steps: Council staff will work with the Right to Counsel coalition and departmental leaders to clarify cost estimates, funding sources and program administration in follow-up meetings as the council advances the budget.