Aug 56 min read

FP FIVE: SEALING EVICTIONS

The Family Promise Five is a weekly update that focuses on the FIVE topics, issues, events, volunteer opportunities or needs of Family Promise Waukesha County. This communication will update, inform and advocate for families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Here is the Family Promise Five for August 5th, 2024.

Our mission is to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.

The Family Promise Five for August 5th are:

URGENT NEED
SHARE YOUR VISION
THANK YOU, UNITED WAY
BRIDGING SEMINAR
TEMPORARILY SEALING EVICTIONS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

POLL OF THE WEEK

From your perspective, is temporarily sealing evictions a positive step?

1. URGENT NEED

Supply of Gift Cards is Gone

Donations

We have an urgent need for gift cards! We do not have one gift card available. This shortage of gift cards comes at a time that we are working with a higher number of families. Since July 19, we have had contact with 23 families who are experiencing homelessness and 20 families who are requesting financial assistance to prevent them from experiencing homelessness. Some of these families enter the Apartment Shelter Program while others are part of the Shelter Diversion Program.

Regardless of the program, almost all of these families become clients to whom we are offering services. Being able to provide a grocery gift card, gas card or a Target gift card to families who are struggling economically is incredible helpful. Therefore, we humbly ask again, could you consider a donation of gift cards to Pick N Save, Kwik Trip, or Target in denominations of $10 or $25?

Perhaps you might consider hostingn a gift card drive at your office or congregation. Any support would be much appreciated.

Gift cards can be mailed to:

Family Promise of Waukesha County

PO Box 66

Waukesha, WI 53187

or dropped off at our Day Center

139 E North Street

Waukesha, WI 53188

2. SHARE YOUR VISION

Join the FPWC Board of Trustees

Volunteer

Family Promise of Waukesha County Board of Trustees is seeking additional members. The desired number of board members is 12-15. We currently have 10. A couple of board members will have their terms of office end in 2025. As a board member, your responsibilities include:

Overseeing a vision for the organization
Reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of the agency in achieving its mission
Working to secure the resources to accomplish the mission of the organization and
Providing financial accountability

It is an honor to serve on the Family Promise of Waukesha County Board of Trustees and work with a truly amazing staff, dedicated board members, generous volunteers, and community members all working toward the goal of supporting families who are in a temporary/tenuous situation and courageously and humbly reach out for help.

- Coleen Valley, current board member

The board of trustees meets 9-10 times a year. Members also serve on a committee.

Legally, board members are expected to provide:

Duty of Care

A board member is engaged in the issues the organization is facing, prepares for meetings and participates fully in the board meetings.

Duty of Loyalty

All board members reveal any conflict of interests. While operating in the official capacity of a a board member, they will place the needs of the organization first, ahead of their own.

Duty of Obedience

Ensures that the organization is executing its mission, follows all laws, uses it resources responsibly, and ensures that the appropriate financial controls in place.

If you are interested in learning more about the board, you are invited to observe an upcoming board meeting and/or meet with a current board member. To start a discernment process, please contact Joe Nettesheim: joe@familypromisewaukeshawi.org

Meet Our Board Members

3. THANK YOU, UNITED WAY!

United Way Provides SASH Funding to Prevent Family Homelessness

Fund Development

Thank you to United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties for a grant to support families at risk of experiencing homelessness! UWGMWC has been a partner with the Family Homelessness Prevention Program since its inception in 2020. They provide the largest annual grant for this program. We are proud of the partnership and grateful for the support.

A few years ago, United Way made a video of one of our clients that we were able to help because of their support. You can read about Sasha and watch a video about her here: https://unitedwaygmwc.org/Stories/Safe-and-Stable-Homes-Sasha

It is our understanding that they will be unveiling a new video about Family Promise of Waukesha County at their next campaign kickoff on August 29th. If you would like to attend their campaign kickoff event with a group from Family Promise, please email Joe Nettesheim: joe@familypromisewaukeshawi.org

UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN KICKOFF

4. BRIDGING SEMINAR

St. Vincent DePaul Offers Seminar to Better Understand Poverty

Accompaniment

You are invited to join members of the Family Promise of Waukesha County staff in attending a Bridging Seminar hosted by Getting Ahead to Get Ahead of Waukesha County, a St. Vincent DePaul program to help individuals and the community become more financially stable. The seminar will be held on Wednesday, August 28th from 11 AM - 1:30 PM. The event is free but registration is required. Lunch is provided. Please email gettingahead@scdpwaukesha.com to register.

5. TEMPORARILY SEALING EVICTIONS

Directive Gives Tenants Opportunity to Lessen Impact of Eviction

Community

Kaitlin Clancy, a 2024 Marquette University Law School Graduate recently submitted a letter to the Wisconsin Lawyer, the official publication of the State Bar of Wisconsin. In her letter, she wrote about an experience she had clerking for a judge in small claims court. This judge started to seal evictions temporarily to give tenants an opportunity to fulfill their obligations. She writes, "One of the most notable creations introduced under this directive is the concept of temporary sealing of cases - a strategy devised by Judge Morales to address the urgent housing needs of individuals while promoting compliance and cooperation among litigants. By temporarily sealing cases, parties are incentivized to fulfill their obligations, thereby expediting the resolution of disputes and facilitating the restoration of stability in the lives of those affected. Remarkably, this approach has garnered support from landlords, who recognize its efficacy in achieving mutually beneficial outcomes."

This is an exciting development. At Family Promise of Waukesha County, we have paid back rent for families on the verge of eviction, under the condition that the eviction is removed from their record. The reality is that an eviction can become a sentence to homelessness for families. Interceding in the eviction process is helpful to both the landlord and the tenant.

Evictions do not serve anyone. Landlords are out their rent, court fees, and spend a great deal of time going through the process. It does not make them financially whole. The tenant often does not show for court and when they do, it is without legal representation. When they are formally evicted, they lose everything and are unlikely to get a second opportunity to rent a home. Clancy is identifying a better way.

Clancy ends her letter with, "I am filled with optimism for the future of small claims court and its pivotal role in tackling the housing crisis. Through collaborative efforts, innovative solutions, and unwavering dedication to the principles of fairness and compassion, we can chart a path toward a more just and equitable culture -- one where every individual has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing."

We concur! A future aspect of our Shelter Diversion programming will be to provide legal aid and mediation for families entering the eviction process.

READ THE LETTER HERE

POLL OF THE WEEK

From your perspective, is temporarily sealing evictions a positive step?