4 Families Avoid Eviction with Community Lawyer Project

The City of Beloit is investing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for homelessness response and prevention efforts. One of the programs that received funding was Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.’s Community Lawyer Project. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Legal Action of Wisconsin had 10 new program participants. The Community Lawyer Project prevented eviction for four City of Beloit households and successfully motioned for each tenant's name to be redacted off of CCAP so future landlords will not be able to see the case on CCAP. They take this extra step because some landlords do not take the outcome of the case into consideration, meaning a case the court dismissed can be nearly as damaging to a family as an eviction.  

 

About the Project: Community Lawyer Project staff engages in direct representation and strategic litigation directly related to a person’s housing safety or stability.  Staff develops and facilitates community education through written materials, guides, and training workshops.  These training resources are designed for renters in the Beloit community as well as for the social service agencies supporting people at risk of homelessness. 

 

This work aligns with the Beloit Area Taskforce on Homelessness’ strategic plan, in particular, the strategies to

1) utilize and provide education on legal empowerment tools.

2) have legal representation present in court and/or access to assistance prior to going to court.

3) teach tenants how to assert their rights in positive ways.