Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers 2022 Annual Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Carrying forward our “building the plane while ying it” metaphor from 2021, 2022 was all about ensuring our fundamental parts were ready for long-term, successful ight.

* We re ned internal operations, processes and physical/technology infrastructure.

* We expanded sta and volunteer capacity as we developed new and existing programs.

* We focused on anti-racism training as well as professional development and team-building support for our sta and board.

GROWTH -- We grew by approximately 30% in 2022 as we received new funding and added sta to cover expanded eviction defense, eviction prevention and family safety work. Signi cant resources were invested in hiring, onboarding, and training the new personnel needed to e ectively sta these programs. The capacity of our volunteer program to serve more clients improved as we increased the number of volunteers participating and diversi ed clinic o erings. We worked to provide appropriate administrative support for the sta and board, engaging anti-racism trainers and working with a board development consultant. We instituted regular quarterly sta meetings and provided small stipends to sta to encourage team building.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH -- We showed up. Our Communications Team worked with community partners to sta regular legal aid pop-up events throughout Pierce County in 2022, focusing in traditionally marginalized urban and rural locations to expand access to our program. Presence within the community was ampli ed through social media o erings expanded to include video, information and educational topics presented on an increased variety of communications platforms.

We faced three main challenges in 2022:

First, settling into our new program identity as a sta ed attorney program after many years as a volunteer-based legal aid organization. We have become one of the largest law rms in Pierce County, and we are challenged to convey to funders and supporters that although our capacity to provide services has increased we still rely heavily on volunteers and community partnerships to do our best work, which requires investment in program administration.

Second, continued growth created scaling and sta ng issues. We often had to hire quickly during 2022 and did not have the luxury of lengthy interview timelines or competitive hiring. As a result, we faced turnover with new sta . Building so many programs simultaneously with new sta also made it challenging to identify and develop leaders within the o ce.

Third, the lack of funding for general program support continued to present barriers, impacting our ability to truly dedicate the time necessary to anti-racism work, equitable management structure, sta mental health, board development, IT support, and human resources. Each new program brought funding for additional legal sta but little support for proportionately expanding vital administrative functions.

CHALLENGES

We believe these issues will resolve as we adjust to functioning as a larger organization. We move into 2023 with a focus on fundraising work to address the lack of support for adequate administrative capacity.

OVERVIEW -- IMPACT OF GROWTH ON SERVICES

PROGRAM GROWTH

More than 20 full-time staff attorneys

400% increase in staff 2020-2022

Three effective legal aid programs

HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT

* Appointed Counsel - eviction defense in court

* HELP Team - eviction prevention -landlord-tenant help

FAMILY SAFETY PROJECT

* Family law services for survivors of domestic violence

* Representation, advice and self-help

VOLUNTEER LEGAL CLINICS

* Legal advice on a wide range of civil legal issues

* Clinics staffed by volunteers with specific expertise

2022

BY THE NUMBERS

HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT

Appointed Counsel

1,200 cases

79% positive impact

Cases dismissed (258) Extra days housed (281) Received assistance (109) Money saved (246) Kept eviction off record (23)

HELP Team

1,600 cases

89% positive impact

Enforced tenant rights

Access to housing

Obtained repairs

Overcame illegal charges

Prevented eviction

FAMILY SAFETY PROJECT

1,000 cases

88% female clients

50% BIPOC clients

domestic abuse (237) child custody (304) divorce (231)

VOLUNTEER LEGAL CLINICS

1,700 volunteer hours

60 volunteer attorneys

Adult Guardianship

Bankruptcy

Estates and Probate

Family Law

General Law

Juvenile Record Sealing

All services are FREE.

OUR WORK - Case Summaries

Case No. 1

A Housing Justice Project sta attorney was appointed to represent a woman in an unlawful detainer action based on a 3-Day Notice to Quit for waste or nuisance. This client lived in the home with her two young children; she had previously struggled with chronic homelessness. This was the rst time she had had the opportunity to rebuild her life. While living in this home, the client maintained a full time job which paid enough to cover her rent. She started pursuing a dream career path, began engaging in medical care and mental health services, and nally felt like she could breathe. That all came to a crashing halt when she received the notice, based on the fact that the toilet in her unit had over owed and caused minor damage to the apartment below her.

The landlord immediately blamed the woman and her children—making allegations that they intentionally or negligently caused the toilet to over ow and failed to report the issue. The client maintained that the over ow had occurred when everyone was asleep, and that she had noti ed the landlord immediately. The landlord then threatened the client with a bill for $40,000 in damages, attempting to scare her into leaving. When the client requested proof, nothing was ever produced. During maintenance to repair the toilet it again over owed, showing that the client and her children were likely not at fault for the over ow as the toilet was not in use during the second over ow.

The landlord refused to come to an agreement to keep the family in their home. The thought of moving was a hard pill to swallow for a woman who nally felt safe in her space with her children. At the show cause hearing, the Housing Justice Project attorney was prepared to argue that the case should go to trial. At trial, it would have been incredibly impactful to have a plumber testify regarding the cause of the over ow and the likelihood that the plumbing itself was defective.

When presented with the reality that the client was not responsible and should not be subject to an unlawful detainer action, the landlord agreed to dismiss the action with an order of limited dissemination. This salvaged the tenancy and allowed a chronically homeless family to feel safe in their home once more.

OUR WORK - Case Summaries

Case No. 2

The Family Safety Project provided emergent and responsive representation to a Petitioner for a Sexual Assault Protection Order. Our client, a member of several identity groups historically barred from the justice system, was sexually exploited and assaulted by a member of the Washington State Bar Association during their attorney-client relationship. When she sought a protection order, the abuser retaliated by ling explicit details and images into the public record. We sought and were granted an emergency order to seal his ling. After protracted litigation, complex discovery due to the intervening change in Washington state law (RCW 7.105), and a contested trial, our client was awarded a ve-year Sexual Assault Protection Order with weapons surrender. In addition, Respondent was arrested during trial for related o enses against our client, and currently faces several felony criminal charges.

Case No. 3

Our eviction prevention team, HELP, assisted a client who had been living in an apartment building where black mold was accumulating throughout the walls of the home due to unusable bathroom fans and poor ventilation. This client is a single dad and both he and his young daughter were experiencing severe health consequences including bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses. The client had made many repair requests, most of which were ignored. Maintenance at one point came into the unit and attempted to clean out the mold but failed to adequately address the extent and root cause of the mold. HELP coordinated with the City of Lakewood’s Rental Housing Safety program, which inspected the unit and reported ventilation and plumbing damage. The landlord illegally attempted to raise the rent in retaliation for client reporting the issues to the City of Lakewood. HELP wrote a letter to the landlord. As a result, the landlord fully repaired the unit, revoked the rent increase, and the client has signed a new lease to remain in the unit with his daughter.

OUR WORK - Case Summaries

Case No. 4

A Housing Justice Project Appointed Counsel Program sta attorney was appointed to represent a tenant in an un led unlawful detainer proceeding, based on a sixty (60) day notice to vacate transitional housing. The landlord provided transitional housing for a maximum term of twenty-four (24) months, and made representations that it would assist the tenant with nding permanent housing within that twenty-four (24) month period.

The tenant began living at the premises in late March 2018, but when the end of her twenty-four month lease term came around in March 2020, the pandemic began and the landlord refrained from pursuing an eviction until September 2022. By the time the notice was served, it had been over two years since tenant’s lease term had ended. Because the tenancy was transitional and temporary, the tenant’s continued residency at the premises violated certain rules imposed by the tenant’s funding sources. As such, the landlord had a strong interest in seeking possession of the premises.

When the Housing Justice Project attorney met with the tenant, she expressed understanding that her lease term had expired over two years ago and that she needed to move, but felt that the landlord had not ful lled its promise to help the client obtain permanent housing. According to the tenant, no resources for permanent housing were provided and no steps were taken by the landlord to help seek permanent housing solutions on behalf of the tenant. Based on this information, the Housing Justice Project attorney planned to argue at show cause that the landlord had failed to ful ll a key obligation of the transitional housing arrangement between the parties. However, after the Housing Justice Project attorney brought this information to the opposing counsel, the landlord agreed to provide $3,500 in relocation assistance and agreed to an extended move-out date to provide the client with an additional thirty- ve (35) days to move.

DIRECT SERVICES

DEVELOPING OUR PROGRAMS

Housing Justice Project

- Developed a strong relationship with the Pierce County Superior Court

- Expanded our Appointed Counsel footprint throughout Washington, including signi cant caseloads in Kitsap, Thurston, Mason, and Grays Harbor Counties

- Represented hundreds of tenants each month in unlawful detainer actions, thereby mitigating the potential consequences eviction actions can have on tenants

- Continued to develop cultural competency while developing a better understanding of the cultural and socioeconomic situations of our clients

- Managed increased caseload due to expansion in other counties while also onboarding new sta

- Introduced wraparound services for clients in need of resources and/or legal services following representation in an unlawful detainer proceeding

Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers provided signi cant direct client services in 2022 through our Housing Justice Project and Family Safety Project, including eviction prevention, eviction defense, and family law work with survivors of domestic violence. Each of these distinct programs are sta ed by full-time attorneys, paralegals and support personnel.

Family Safety Project

- Obtained and implemented increased funding for domestic violence survivors in their protection order and family law matters

- Hired, onboarded, and trained a new team, in coordination with holistic housing/DV work by a sta LLLT

- Established partnership with Seattle University School of Law to increase client services and mentorship of aspiring family law attorneys

- Hosted rst full-time SU Law extern to provide client communication, advocacy, and legal drafting

- Partnered with SU Law’s Family Law Chair to refer cases pedagogically appropriate for student practicums

- Collaborated with Pierce County Superior Court Judge to provide improved advice and guidance for pro se litigants

DIRECT SERVICES

THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY PRESENCE

Communications Team

- Developed new and ongoing partnerships to facilitate community education and outreach--new partners included Lakewood Library pop-up events at new community locations, Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula community organizations and Tacoma Hilltop grassroots organizations

- Scheduled more frequent outreach dates to targeted neighborhoods negotiated with Pierce County Library System and Tacoma Public Libraries

- Improved reach and integration of social media

- Integrated program function into outreach events as a presence and point of contact for the program in rural areas

CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY

REMOVING BARRIERS FOR OUR CLIENTS

our partnerships are vital

Pierce County Library System

Pierce County Human Services

Pierce County Health Department

Pierce County Eviction Prevention

Crystal Judson Family Justice Center

LASA

Springbrook Connections

City of Lakewood

City of Tacoma

Institute for Black Justice

Tacoma Healing Awareness Community

Catherine Place

Our Sister’s House

Associated Ministries

Tacoma Recovery Cafe

Multicultural Child & Family Hope

Center

Center for Dialog & Resolution

Fair Housing Center of Washington

Pierce County Prosecutor’s O ce

Pierce County Court Systems

Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association

JBLM Legal Assistance O ce

Comprehensive Life Resources

Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End

Homelessness

Tacoma Housing Authority

Salishan Association

Brotherhood RISE

Arms Around You

Northwest Community Bail Fund

New Connections

Monarch Consulting, LLC

Mi Centro

Tacoma Tenants Union

TeamChild

Northwest Justice Project

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

One of the signi cant ways we have removed barriers for clients is by being physically present and available in their communities. Our Communications Team worked with a variety of partners to sta 2-3 times weekly pop-up events throughout Pierce County in 2022. At the pop-ups, clients have been able to complete an intake, reopen a previously closed case (where perhaps the client fell through cracks), provide documents for an open case, get referrals and resources, and have quick questions answered.

Left unanswered, those questions would likely have become a barrier to resolving a situation. Clients are met with dignity at these events. There is an inherent bene t and trust building when someone in the legal eld listens and validates a client’s situation.

People attending the pop-ups face the barriers of transportation, disabilities, childcare and work schedule -- preventing them from getting the help they need.

CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITYPRO BONO NIGHT 2023

October 5, 2023 was an important milestone in our year -- for the rst time since 2019, we were able to once again celebrate the successes of our program, our volunteers and our partners at our annual event held at the Tacoma Art Museum. -- in person.

Our amazing and inspirational featured speaker was Carol Mitchell, founder of our partner organization Institute for Black Justice -- see you in 2023, October 18 at TAM!