We’re starting off the new year with a refreshed strategy on how we approach economic equity. We will continue the work of providing a legal “offense” strategy for individuals and communities that are most vulnerable to policing and incarceration as ever, but we’ve restructured our practice into two branches: entrepreneurship, led by managing director Eric Williams and affordable housing, led by managing attorney Mark Bennett. Below, we detail what each branch can help clients with. It is important to note that our Economic Equity Practice does not provide litigation services. This means that if you are, for instance, looking to start a co-op, we are here to help you set up legal structures, but we cannot assist you if you are facing a lawsuit of any kind.
Entrepreneurship
Our Economic Equity Practice’s (EEP) entrepreneurship services reflect the importance of entrepreneurship for those who have been impacted by our criminal system.
For example:
- Returning citizens are five times more likely than the general population to become entrepreneurs.
- Returning citizens who become entrepreneurs are much less likely to return to prison, even when compared with their cohort peers in traditional employment.
EEP is reaching out to Detroit area organizations and programs that support entrepreneurs and startups to help them identify justice-impacted participants, develop programs to support them and provide legal and business services as a part of such support. Justice impacted in this context refers to individuals who have been previously incarcerated as well as those who:
- Have a parent, spouse, or co-parent currently incarcerated;
- Currently reside in a household with someone previously incarcerated; or
- Were raised in a household where a parent or sibling was incarcerated.
Our services cover a variety of transactional legal services, including:
- Contract drafting and review (NDAs, employment/contractor agreements, licensing agreements, services agreements, leases, etc.)
- Copyright registration
- Trademark registration
- Entity selection and filing
- Bylaws and operating agreements
Affordable Housing
The EEP Affordable Housing Group supports its clients in achieving their goals in all aspects of affordable housing, development, financing, and preservation. We serve clients with many forms of community ownership, including shared-equity models such as community land trusts & co-ops, social housing as well as naturally occurring affordable housing in both for-sale and for-rent communities. We assist with identifying real estate professionals as part of our clients’ development teams as well as supporting policy objectives at the city, state, and federal levels which enhance their long-term success.
Current policy objectives include:
- Establishing property tax policies to support Community Land Trusts and other forms of affordable housing to protect homeowners from increasing property taxes over time
- Working with the Detroit Land Bank Authority to support affordable housing initiatives through the provision of land for community-driven development
Mark J. Bennett, Managing Attorney – Affordable Housing Group, noted, “I am honored to lead DJC’s expansion of its capacity to support our clients in addressing their growing need for affordable and equitable housing. I look forward to partnering with all participants in the affordable housing ecosystem to address this compelling need.”