County Board Adopts Clancy Measure Establishing Right to Counsel for Residents Facing Eviction or Foreclosure

MILWAUKEE – The County Board of Supervisors today adopted [17-0-1, Staskunas abstention] a proposal authored by Supervisor Ryan Clancy establishing a “Right to Counsel” for all Milwaukee County residents facing eviction or foreclosure, and funding a pilot program for a year and a half to provide no-cost legal representation.

“This is a big, significant measure. But it’s part of a larger investment which includes both continued rent assistance and investment further upstream in human needs,” said Supervisor Clancy. “I’m confident that the data that we collect during this pilot program will compel us to continue and expand this support beyond these first 18 months.”

The measure had broad community support, with United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County pledging at least $1.5 million over five years to bolster the effort, and with individual or organizational advocacy and support of Legal Action Wisconsin, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America, Milwaukee Autonomous Tenants Union, The Peoples Revolution, American Civil Liberties Union and Street Angels Inc.

“With the end of the federal eviction moratorium looming, it was essential that we pass this key legislation today,” said Supervisor Clancy. “Although a monumental undertaking such as this will take time to become fully staffed, I am confident that the dedicated folks in charge of implementing this will do so with all the speed they can muster.”

56,420 evictions were filed in the City of Milwaukee from 2016 to 2020 according to the Track Milwaukee Evictions Project. Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Eviction Defense Project data shows 90 percent of eviction cases in Milwaukee County are dismissed or delayed when a tenant has legal representation.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.