– Photo by John Meiu
Tom Hartwig (right), staff attorney in Legal Aid and Defender Association's Macomb County office, meets with (left to right) landlords Michael and Andrea D'Angelo of Sterling Heights and tenant Alex McClendon of Warren in 37th District Court in Warren before their hearing under the court's Eviction Diversion Program.
The Macomb Homeless Coalition (MHC) will honor 37th District Court Judge Matthew P. Sabaugh and Valerie Nunn, director of Macomb County's Department of Human Services (DHS), for their work on the court's Eviction Diversion Program.
Sabaugh and Nunn will be honored at MHC's annual fundraising dinner at Villa Pennas in Sterling Heights Nov. 20, according to Kelly Bidelman, managing attorney of the Macomb County office of Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD) in Mount Clemens and a member of MHC's board of trustees.
The court, DHS, MHC and Macomb County Community Services Agency (MCCSA) launched the program in Warren and Centerline in March.
The program is aimed at helping landlords and tenants resolve disputes over unpaid rent without court judgments that damage tenant credit ratings.
When a landlord serves a tenant with an eviction complaint, the tenant is directed to contact the program and a meeting is arranged between the tenant, the landlord and the groups involved with the program, among them the DHS, MHC, MCCSA, and church and other charitable organizations.
The tenant receives on-the-spot approval for financing by one or more of the community partners. The court then places the case on a special docket, and a LAD staff attorney negotiates a conditional dismissal with the landlord.
“As of July, 22 families were assisted with rental arrearages totaling approximately $30,000, for an average cost of about $1300 each to divert the eviction,” Bidelman said.
Tom Hartwig, a staff attorney in LAD's Macomb office, negotiated a conditional dismissal in August with landlords Michael and Andrea D'Angelo of Sterling Heights and tenant Alex McClendon of Warren.
“It's a win-win for the landlord and the tenant,” Hartwig said. “It allows the landlord to retain a good tenant and allows the tenant to get caught up on outstanding rent. If the tenant pays the rent, the case is dismissed and there's no eviction on record.”
In a hearing before 37th District Court Judge Dean J. Ausilio, ithe parties agreed that either the community partners would pay the arrearages or the tenant would be responsible for payment.
The judge then dismissed the case without prejudice.
Founded in 1909, LAD provides free civil legal services to low-income residents of Michigan. It serves metropolitan Detroit through its offices in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.
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