Collaborative funds Right to Counsel services
Media Release
September 23, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY — Two Right to Counsel (RTC) pilots contributed to the prevention of more than 3,000 evictions in Tulsa and Oklahoma City in 2023. Their success persuaded the Oklahoma Impact Investing Collaborative (Collaborative) to provide financing to Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc., (LASO) to support the program. The Collaborative pools impact financing from multiple funders to maximize impact. LASO financing is provided in partnership with Inasmuch Foundation, MetaFund, and another local foundation.
“In thanking the Oklahoma Impact Investing Collaborative, I speak for the approximately 35,000 Tulsa and OKC families that will face eviction in the next 12 months. Evictions are preventable. Access to civil legal services to save a family’s home is the remedy,” said Michael Figgins, LASO Executive Director.
A 2016 study by Eviction Lab found that Tulsa had the 11th highest eviction rate in the U.S. among large cities at 7.77 percent of renter homes, while Oklahoma City was ranked 20th highest with a rate of 6.19 percent of renter homes. With the availability of funding, LASO eviction attorneys can continue to serve Oklahoma City and Tulsa zip codes with the highest level of need.
These evictions impact both the tenants and taxpayers. A 2023 survey conducted by Oklahoma City-based nonprofit, Shelterwell, revealed that 63 percent of landlords would not rent to a tenant with a prior eviction filing. This oftentimes leads to homelessness for the tenant and other destabilizing effects on the individual and family.
Shelterwell studied the 17,868 evictions filed in Oklahoma County in 2023 of which 8,602 families were evicted. Using the University of Arizona Cost of Evictions Calculator, they estimate the financial impact of these evictions to the public sector at $45,979,459, including:
· $19,946,851 – Shelter Costs
· $10,373,846 – Inpatient Medical Costs
· $ 6,242,195 – Emergency Room Costs
· $ 6,161,611 – Foster Care Costs
· $ 3,247,916 – Juvenile Delinquency Costs
Tenants who have legal representation tend to fare better in the eviction legal proceedings. Open Justice Oklahoma, a program of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, conducted a statistical analysis of eviction cases in Tulsa County from 2010 through 2020. They found that tenants with legal representation are 75 percent more likely to remain in their home. However, Shelterwell’s study found that only 8 percent of tenants facing eviction in Oklahoma County in 2023 had representation. A study of the Oklahoma City/Tulsa RTC pilot program found that upwards of 96 percent of renters with representation were able to stay in their homes.
A recent Oklahoma Attorney General’s opinion clears the way for cities in Oklahoma to allocate municipal money to a nonprofit to fund eviction prevention services as they provide a public purpose. According to the opinion, the services assist with remedying housing instability and mitigating homelessness which lessens the burdens on governments, including police and court services, or otherwise promotes the public welfare.
By enabling LASO to maintain lawyers to protect tenants, financing provided by the Collaborative allows for continued services and data collection as LASO seeks to sustain the program through opportunities such as municipal contracts.
“LASO attorneys provide support for our neighbors at a critical point where a missed opportunity or not being aware of their rights under the law can significantly change their life trajectory and turn a current financial obstacle into years of seemingly insurmountable barriers to work, housing, and health,” said Ed Long, Collaborative president and co-founder. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support Right to Counsel in Oklahoma City and Tulsa and look forward to seeing the program scale to serve more of our neighbors in need.”
More information about the Collaborative is available at metafund.org. More information about LASO and its services is available by visiting www.legalaidok.org. Tenants inquiring about eligibility for free legal assistance can contact (405) 554-4636.
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Media Contact:
Ed Long
405.922.7580
About Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. (LASO) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides civil legal assistance to low-income persons throughout Oklahoma. LASO was born in 2001 when Legal Aid Services of Eastern Oklahoma, Inc. and Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma were merged to create a unified program for the state. LASO maintains 18 offices throughout Oklahoma.
About Oklahoma Impact Investing Collaborative
The Oklahoma Impact Investing Collaborative (Collaborative), a MetaFund initiative, uses philanthropic capital to provide flexible loans and technical assistance to innovative, mission-driven nonprofit and for-profit organizations, with the potential to improve outcomes for Oklahomans. The Collaborative is a national leader in Pay for Success financing.
About MetaFund
MetaFund is an Oklahoma-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) working with other nonprofits, the private sector, and government toward a just world free of poverty. MetaFund invests in creative solutions for communities, with a primary focus on employment, housing, health, and child well-being. For more information about the Collaborative or MetaFund, visit www.metafund.org.