"The collection arm doesn't seem to know what the decision arm is doing," said unemployment attorney Tony Paris. He says what is happening is a big issue. "July 6, 2022, she's still getting a bill a year later from it being waived. Now, that's the real problem," he said. Paris said that it was a good idea to give benefits to people who otherwise wouldn't have qualified for unemployment. However, it overloaded antiqued software. … see full story at Fox 2
Free legal representation now available for many Detroiters facing eviction
Residents have been pushing for months for the city to move faster and do more to fully implement the right to counsel ordinance, which was originally approved last spring.
“It just doesn’t seem to be a high priority,” said Tonya Myers Phillips, an attorney and project leader for the Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition. “It’s certainly taking a long time to see the city carry out what they said they were going to do.”
One basic thing, Tonya Myers Phillips said, would be to open up a hotline.
“I would think that’s the minimum of what you should do,” she said, noting that the right to counsel ordinance called not just for hiring attorneys, but for the creation of the Office of Eviction Defense. “Just like any other office in government, there should be a phone number people can call and receive help and be connected to resources.” … Michigan Public Radio
Detroit’s lawyer says City Council doesn’t need to follow surveillance law
Attorneys with the Detroit Justice Center, Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice and Schulz Law argue residents were deprived of key information that would have helped shape public opinion on police surveillance tools. They’re aiming to nullify two contracts worth $8.5 million that were approved last year.
The lawsuit carries broader implications for the expansion of police surveillance in Detroit. A pending contract seeks $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds for license plate recognition cameras that collect data on vehicles. The Board of Police Commissioners, a civilian oversight body, is holding a public hearing on surveillance technology May 11 at the Crowell Recreation Center. … see full story at Bridge Detroit
'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
Six Students Named 2023 Skadden Fellows
Liz Jacob ’23
At the Sugar Law Center for Social and Economic Justice in Detroit, Jacob will direct legal service for clients experiencing energy insecurity, including utility debt and power shutoffs and provide legal support for community-led policy change challenging inequitable energy burdens. … see story at Yale Law School
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