Arizona will inject $5 million into its fight against housing instability, as well as to support families in need of civil legal aid, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Friday.
An additional one million Arizonans will now be eligible to receive state funding for housing and other civil legal aid resources due to the increase in available support, as the income cap for a family of four increased from $37,500 to $60,000, the governor said in a news release.
Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package which passed in 2021, will be distributed across the state into various nonprofits and legal funds, the release said.
Pima County created its Emergency Eviction Legal Services program using COVID-19 relief money in 2021. The program helps provide legal services to low income residents facing eviction.
Of the $5 million announced, $2.4 million will go to non-profit law firm Community Legal Services; $1.3 million to Tucson-based Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA); $600,000 for DNA People’s Legal Services, a non-profit law firm based in Window Rock, as well as an additional $600,000 to be used for public legal education, which is to be “administered” by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, according to the news release.
“As a social worker, I know how barriers to our justice system can be devastating for Arizona families,” said Governor Hobbs in a written statement.
“The services provided by these organizations are critical to the strength and success of our state, helping families access the housing protection and other critical services they need. When we’re able to help more people in tough situations, we give them a better chance at being able to thrive and realize their full potential,” she said.
Anthony Young, executive director of Southern Arizona Legal Aid, is excited to continue expanding the organizations services to more low-income residents of southern Arizona.
“We’re excited the governor is supporting what we call ‘access to justice for all Arizonans’, and the funding will go to support general legal services that address housing, domestic violence prevention, (and) access to preservation of income work that legal aid organizations do,” he said. “We’re just proud and pleased the state of Arizona is now supporting general legal aid services and civil aide services for all Arizonans. We expect to expand our work to provide justice to more of our low-income residents in Southern Arizona,” he said.
Angie Rodgers, cabinet executive officer for the state’s Department of Economic Security, said in a written statement that this funding can help families stabilize with basic necessities, such as assistance with food or rent payments.
“These additional resources will give greater access for individuals with civil legal matters to get the help they need,” she said Friday.
Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education chief executive officer Kevin Ruegg believes this funding is a step towards “equal access to justice” for all Arizonans.
“This funding is an historic, first step towards increasing equal access to justice and will help keep Arizonans housed, keep families safe, and protect the rights of low-income families,” she said Friday in a written statement.
