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A resolution reallocating $2,220,235 in American Rescue Plan Act funds from Fund #30216 to provide legal representation to low and moderate-income Davidson County renters to defend against landlord eviction.
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WHEREAS, RS2024-274 approved a resolution appropriating $1,648,322.00 in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) Funds to Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (“Legal Aid”) and $747,000.00 in ARP Funds to Nashville Hispanic Bar Association (“NHBA”), to provide legal representation to low and moderate-income Davidson County renters to defend against landlord eviction; and,
WHEREAS, Legal Aid and NHBA have proposed a continuation of the program that will provide outreach and education, pre-filing legal aid, direct legal representation, and program evaluation, as further described in Exhibit A; and,
WHEREAS, it is to the benefit of the citizens of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County that this resolution be approved.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That $1,373,235 from the Covid-19 American Rescue Plan Fund #30216 is hereby reallocated to Legal Aid to be used to administer the program described in Exhibit A attached.
Section 2. That $847,000 from the Covid-19 American Rescue Plan Fund #30216 is hereby reallocated to the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association to be used to administer the program described in Exhibit A attached.
Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.
Agenda Analysis
Analysis
This resolution appropriates $2,220,235 in American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funds from Fund #30216 to provide legal representation to low and moderate-income Davidson County renters to defend against landlord eviction.
Resolution No. RS2022-1559 appropriated $2,395,322 in ARPA funds to the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (“Legal Aid”) and Conexión Américas for a two-year pilot program to defend against landlord eviction. The program provides outreach and education, pre-filing legal aid, direct legal representation, and program evaluation. This program is known as the Eviction Right to Counsel (“ERTC”). Resolution No. RS2022-1832 provided an additional $399,149 for this program to complete the amount of fund initially requested. Resolution No. RS2024-274 allocated an additional $2,600,851 in funds to Legal Aid and the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association (“NHBA“) to extend the ERTC program.
ERTC provides legal representation to low- to moderate-income renters in Nashville and Davidson County in eviction cases, provides over-the-phone and in-person support to answer housing-related questions, conducts a city-wide, multi-language public awareness campaign, and provides legal information at the Davidson County Courthouse on eviction court days.
The proposed resolution would appropriate an additional $2,220,235 to continue to fund the ERTC program through Fiscal Year 2026. $1,373,235 would be allocated to the Legal Aid, and $847,000 would be allocated to the NHBA.