'Transformational' community benefits plan for District Detroit advances

During public comment, Tonya Myers Phillips, director of partnerships and development at the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, urged the group to take more time before voting on the agreement.

"I am asking you to take additional time to review this agreement, to negotiate for more benefits that have long term systemic equitable outcomes for Detroiters ..." Myers Phillips said. "We need more time. We deserve more time."

In the project, the developers are seeking nearly $800 million in local and state tax incentives and reimbursements. … see full story on Detroit News

Groups File Lawsuit Against Detroit ShotSpotter Contracts

Leaders behind the complaint are Eric Williams and Nancy Parker of the Detroit Justice Center; Tonya Myers Phillips and John Philo of Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice; and Jack Schulz of Schulz Law PLC, all based in Detroit.

They claim that Detroit Police Department violated Chapter 17 of the 2019 Detroit City Code, the Community Input over Government Surveillance Ordinance which requires that the city put out a report reviewing and examining the technology, including any disparate impacts, at least 14 days prior to discussion of new technology. The ordinance is a direct response to Detroit Police Department's renewal of a 2017 contract with DataWorks for facial recognition surveillance technology. … see full story at GovTech.com

Detroit, city officials sued over ShotSpotter expansion

The Detroit Justice Center and the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice argue in the lawsuit filed Wednesday that Detroit City Council did not have the authority to approve a $7 million expansion of the controversial surveillance technology and a $1.5 million extension of the city's existing contract with the California-based company without adequate public input. City officials and the Police Department, the lawsuit claims, violated Detroit's Community Input over Government Surveillance Ordinance during the approval process. … see full story at Detroit Free Press

Lawsuit seeks to shoot down Detroit’s contracts with ShotSpotter surveillance tech

The lawsuit, filed by the Detroit Justice Center, Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, and Schulz Law PLC, argues that the city failed to meet its obligation, and therefore the contracts should be voided.

“The City did less than the bare minimum to meet this obligation, placing itself in violation of the law and robbing residents yet again of their right to seriously examine decisions that significantly impact their lives,” the law firms said in a news release. … see full story at Metro Times

Activists slam Detroit for missing deadline to fund right to counsel for low-income renters

Housing activists said there’s no excuse for the delay, noting that the city of Detroit has a surplus in its budget.

“We are calling on Mayor Duggan and the administration to do this. It’s not rocket science,” Tonya Myers Phillips, an attorney with Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition, said. “We are in a strong fiscal position. … We need that money now.” … see full story at Metro Times

Detroit eviction filings on track to return to pre-pandemic level as COVID-19 protections expire

Learn more about this research at a virtual event with Q&A at noon Nov. 17 featuring Eisenberg and Tonya Myers Phillips, director of community partnerships & development at the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice in Detroit, with moderator Margaret Dewar, U-M professor emerita of urban and regional planning. … see full story at UM Poverty Solutions

Temporary restraining order halts sale of state fairgrounds, putting hold on Amazon distribution center

"The stakes are too high, especially with environmental and health impacts, for Plaintiffs to be deprived of their opportunity to receive benefits and a means to hold the developer, Amazon, and other corporations that stand to profit accountable under the Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO)," said Tonya Myers Phillips, director of Partnerships and Development at the Sugar Law Center, which is representing the State Fairgrounds Development Coalition. … see full story at WXYZ, Channel 7

Detroit’s Right to Counsel Victory Shows the Power of the People

by Tonya Meyers Phillips for The Detroit Right To Council Coalition

Political power. The Right to Counsel Movement is an inspiring and continuing story of how the Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition and ordinary Detroiters activated our collective power and won one of the most significant rights in Detroit’s history, a right to legal counsel for low-income Detroiters facing eviction. … full story at Riverwise