City Council approves legal aid expansion for eviction proceedings

Cleveland City Council approved as amended Emergency Ordinance 1031-2026 on 2026-10-12, moving the measure forward to provide legal assistance to residents in housing court. As we reported on 2026-09-12, this ordinance seeks to authorize the Director of Community Development to partner with The Legal Aid Society to implement a program for individuals covered under Section 375.12 of the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland.

What changed

Since our earlier coverage, the ordinance has moved through the committee process and received final passage. While the measure was previously withdrawn from the Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee in late September, it was subsequently recommended for approval by both that committee and the Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee before being approved as amended by the full City Council.

Status and timeline

  1. 2026-09-29: Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee withdrawn
  2. 2026-10-06: Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee recommended for approval
  3. 2026-10-12: Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee recommended for approval
  4. 2026-10-12: City Council approved as amended

Residents can verify these legislative updates by reviewing the official record for Ordinance 1031-2026 through the Cleveland City Council website.

Source record

File
1031-2026
Type
Emergency Ordinance
Status
Passed
Committee
City Council
Introduced
September 9, 2026

View on Cleveland Legistar

Official documents

Sources