Legal Aid of Western Ohio will get a much-needed boost to its budget so it can hire more lawyers and provide legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction in Toledo’s housing court.

Toledo City Council on Wednesday approved a proposal put forth last month by Councilmen Nick Komives and Theresa Gadus that allocates $250,000 from the city each year for five years to the nonprofit law firm.

Local housing advocates argue that providing more access to legal representation will result in better outcomes for tenants, landlords, and the taxpayer because it allows for negotiated payment plans and avoids putting strain on social service providers. But just over 2 percent of tenants who faced eviction from 2015 through 2019 in Toledo had lawyers with them in court, a Blade analysis found.

“The right to counsel has been demonstrated to keep tenants housed,” Mr. Komives said Wednesday. “Studies have consistently projected that more than 90 percent of tenants who are represented will avoid disruptive displacements, while in numerous pilot projects represented tenants have remained in their units twice as often as those without counsel, saved hundreds of dollars in arrears, and avoided shelter use.”

But the vote wasn’t unanimous.

Councilman Katie Moline said she did not receive the specifics she asked for last month about how the $250,000 would be spent, and so she proposed lowering the expenditure to $100,000 and shortening the program period to two years. She said it would give city council more oversight and time to assess whether the funding makes a difference.

“I believe we’re still accountable to the taxpayers and how we spend our money,” she said Wednesday. “I believe this is transparent, it’s accountable, and it’s a reasonable compromise.”

Only Ms. Moline, Council President Matt Cherry, and Rob Ludeman voiced support for the amendment. When it failed, all but Ms. Moline and Mr. Ludeman voted to approve the legislation as it stood, with the $250,000 allocation.

“I thought it was too much money, too long a period of time,” Mr. Ludeman said, adding that he questioned the proposal’s necessity altogether.

Mr. Koimives spoke in defense of the proposal before the vote and criticized Ms. Moline for missing the Sept. 2 committee meeting on the legislation, which was called to provide more details and answer questions. He said he believes the legislation was proposed with transparency.

“At the hearing, all questions by every member of that committee that were in attendance were answered by the folks who took the time to come here to answer those questions,” he said. “It is concerning to me that the amendment is coming from Councilwoman Moline, who requested the hearing and then was not here for the hearing.”

Ms. Gadus said she was “very proud” the legislation passed.

In other business Wednesday, council endorsed the city’s partnership with the Toledo Football Academy and the Toledo Celtics Soccer Club and approved a 15-year lease agreement with the two soccer clubs for use of the city-owned Schneider Soccer Complex. The lease agreement calls for annual rent of $4,000 until 2031, when it would increase to $8,000.

Both pieces of legislation needed approval so the clubs and the city can apply for grants to help redevelop the South Toledo park into a state-of-the-art complex that could host soccer camps and tournaments for all ages and abilities.

City council also approved spending $105,000 in capital improvement funds to purchase 130 ballistic vests for city firefighters. The department wants to buy the protective gear because firefighters and paramedics are increasingly sent on emergency calls involving gunfire. 

First Published September 16, 2021, 12:22 a.m.