DEPARTMENT:
Neighborhood and Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
Ver?nica R. Soto, AICP, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED:
Citywide
SUMMARY:
Briefing and Possible Action on the Risk Mitigation Fund and Right to Counsel Pilot
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Staff and stakeholders including Commissioner Jessica O. Guerrero have been working together to evaluate and improve the implementation of the Risk Mitigation Fund Policy and understand root causes of displacement and housing instability in San Antonio. Together, the group has co-designed outreach efforts, intake processes, and made decisions about the allocation of funds across the Risk Mitigation program buckets including: Emergency Housing Stabilization, Resident Relocation Assistance Program, and the Right to Counsel Pilot.
The Risk Mitigation Stakeholder Group will brief the commission on their process, discoveries, and changes made so far and request the Commissioners' support for the continuation of their work as well as the Right to Counsel Pilot.
The Right to Counsel Pilot will provide legal representation to renters with low-incomes who are experiencing eviction. It is anticipated to move forward under an existing contract with TRLA that will be amended to accommodate a revised scope. The scope was created with a stakeholder group comprised of the Risk Mitigation Stakeholders, people who have experienced eviction, representatives from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and St. Mary's School of Law, Texas Housers, AACOG, Councilmember Trevino's office, and others. These stakeholders will continue to work together to evaluate and provide guidance on the implementation of the pilot in keeping with the principles of the Risk Mitigation Stakeholder Group.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Commission could offer an alternative to proceeding with the Right to Counsel Pilot, however this would delay implementation of the pilot.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$100,000.00 has been alloc...
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