Stout’s preliminary estimate of fiscal impact is likely significantly understated. Included in the calculation are benefits of Cleveland Right to Counsel that can be quantified based on currently available data. However, Cleveland / Cuyahoga County would likely realize additional benefits that are not currently quantifiable based on available data.
Given the consistent year-over-year and cumulative frequency with which Cleveland Legal Aid assists Right to Counsel clients in achieving their goals and the continued indication from Right to Counsel clients that they will likely experience disruptive displacement and require a social safety net response if they are forced to move, Stout believes Cleveland and Cuyahoga County continue to realize economic benefits as a result of Right to Counsel.
Additionally, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland increased by 0.5% from 2023 to 2024 while the number of people experiencing homelessness in Ohio increased by 3% during the same period. Legal Aid's work on Right to Counsel may be a factor in the smaller increase in the percentage of people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland relative to the statewide increase given the connection between eviction and homelessness.