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Gilbert foundation to help Detroit renters facing eviction

Detroit photo
Andrea_44 via Wikimedia | CC BY 2.0
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$12 million will be invested over three years in three Detroit-based organizations that will provide legal representation for renters with children.

DETROIT (AP) — A foundation connected to billionaire Dan Gilbert is investing $13 million in a fund to help low-income Detroit residents facing eviction.

The Gilbert Family Foundation says Monday that $12 million will be invested over three years in three Detroit-based organizations that will provide legal representation for renters with children. It is expected to benefit nearly 6,000 families each year. The funding will be made directly to the United Community Housing Coalition, Michigan Legal Services and Lakeshore Legal Aid which will manage the program.

They also will hire lawyers, legal supervisors and legal aids. The Gilbert Family Foundation also has allocated up to $1 million for a long-term study into the program’s effectiveness and the city’s eviction defense ecosystem.