Tenant Advocacy Project helps Franklin County residents stay in their homes, according to new study
Franklin County processes about 18,000 evictions a year and the Legal Aid Society of Columbus created the Tenant Advocacy Project in March 2017.
Franklin County residents facing eviction stand a much better chance of remaining in their homes if they get professional help, according to a study released Monday by the Legal Aid Society of Columbus.
The study found that tenants who received help from the Tenant Advocacy Project were able to stay in their home 240 percent more often than those who were not helped by the organization. About 1 percent of tenants represented by TAP lost their case compared with 53 percent of those who received no assistance, according to the study.
“Without access to an attorney, most tenants facing eviction cannot effectively raise arguments that could preserve their tenancies or prevent eviction and homelessness,” Melissa Benson, housing attorney at Legal Aid Society of Columbus, said in a news release. “The Tenant Advocacy Project gives tenants a voice in the courthouse. It is balancing the scales in eviction cases in Franklin County.”
The Legal Aid Society of Columbus created the Tenant Advocacy Project in March 2017. TAP runs a daily clinic in Franklin County Municipal Court that provides legal help for tenants facing eviction. TAP also receives support from The Columbus Foundation, the Ohio State Bar Foundation and PNC Bank. The goals of TAP are to lower displacement caused by eviction and increase access to affordable housing for low-income tenants.
