Detroit’s city-run Right to Counsel program has become a crucial legal safety net for renters staring down eviction, but that lifeline is racing toward a budget cliff. One-time pandemic dollars and temporary grants that have been paying for lawyers are set to expire this year, and state and local budget choices in the coming months will determine whether counsel keeps showing up in eviction court. Tenants, attorneys and advocates are scrambling to lock in the next round of funding before the money dries up.
Numbers show impact
The city’s 2025 ordinance report shows the program provided full representation to 8,655 tenants in 2025 and has represented 16,283 households since it launched in March 2023 through December 2025. That report estimates that providing full representation to every eligible tenant who appears in court would cost about $9.66 million a year, while fully covering outreach and default cases would push that figure to roughly $13.87 million. In 2025, the city’s Right to Counsel program spent about $6.8 million on full representation, according to the City of Detroit.
Where the money stands
Much of the work has been paid for with American Rescue Plan Act dollars that are scheduled to run out this summer, and city officials are looking for replacement funding from state grants and the general fund. A legislatively directed spending request filed in March asks the Michigan Senate for $1.5 million to help the Office of Eviction Defense continue after ARPA support ends, according to the Michigan Senate. Mayor Mary Sheffield has urged lawmakers to add about $3 million to the state budget for legal services, according to the Detroit Regional Chamber. Program leaders warn that current state grants and philanthropic pledges will cover only a portion of demand if the city narrows the program’s scope.
How the program works
The Office of Eviction Defense partners with groups such as the United Community Housing Coalition, Michigan Legal Services and Lakeshore Legal Aid to screen tenants and provide counsel at the 36th District Court. Households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level qualify for assistance. Philanthropic support, including a multimillion-dollar pledge from the Gilbert Family Foundation, has bolstered capacity. Still, advocates say outreach to tenants who default or miss their first court date remains limited, leaving some eligible renters without timely access to counsel, according to the United Community Housing Coalition.
Why it matters
Advocates say eviction defense is both a moral and fiscal investment: national and local analyses show represented tenants are far more likely to avoid losing their homes and that legal help can cut later shelter and emergency costs. The city has pointed to University of Michigan research and local reporting on those outcomes, and local coverage notes the program’s work has helped thousands of renters keep possession of their homes. That downstream impact is why lawyers and housing groups are pushing to turn one-time grants into stable funding streams, experts say, as outlined by the American Bar Association.
What’s next
City officials and advocates are now pressing lawmakers and funders to convert short-term grants into recurring support and to preserve a planned hotline and outreach capacity that the report says will need continuing money after June 2026. The city’s ordinance report recommends a mix of state grants and general-fund dollars to bridge the gap, and lawmakers have a $1.5 million appropriations request pending at the state level as one potential backstop. Local reporting on the program’s progress and the budget fight is available from the Detroit Free Press, which published coverage of the issue today, in a video report.
