A “for rent” sign is posted in November on a fence at an apartment complex in Wheeling. (File photo by Shelley Hanson)

WHEELING — Legal Aid of West Virginia is looking for new lawyers to help renters facing eviction and other housing issues such as homelessness.

The Legal Help for Renters Project needs lawyers for Legal Aid of West Virginia’s offices in Wheeling, Charleston, Clarksburg, Huntington and Martinsburg.

“The goal of this initiative is to provide legal assistance to eligible tenants with their holistic legal needs. Attorneys will provide legal assistance involving barriers to tenants including, eviction defense, habitability, safety at home and economic stability,” according to Legal Aid of WV.

According to the job description, candidates for the positions should be lawyers who are skilled and motivated to do the work “and passionate about serving others.

“Each attorney will be a member of the Legal Help for Renter’s Project, Legal Aid WV’s partnership with the West Virginia Housing Development Fund.”

David Estep, supervising attorney at the Legal Aid of WV Wheeling office, said the Legal

Help for Renter’s Project is a brand new venture.

“We’re very excited to get it off the ground,” Estep said. “There will be six new attorneys in the state.”

Wheeling will also have one of these lawyers dedicated to housing issues.

“The attorneys will provide representation and legal services to renters who are experiencing homeless with the housing stability grant,” he said.

“They will represent them in court and work out agreements with landlords and keep clients housed.”

Estep said he does not know if there is an uptick in renters losing their housing, but Legal Aid of WV consistently gets these types of cases.

“We frequently get these calls of people who are facing an eviction hearing, they couldn’t pay their rent or they lost their job. This grant allows us to do the housing stability work we’ve been wanting to do for some time.”

Estep said the funding was made possible by a Congressional appropriation to West Virginia’s renters assistance program.

Estep said the Wheeling office, much like the six others, will have one lawyer and one paralegal dedicated to the project.

“We’re looking for attorneys who can handle housing cases and provide full representation in court and someone who can negotiate with landlords,” he said.

Estep said housing cases can sometimes be difficult.

“The good part about it is there is actually money available to help people. It’s a lifeline,” he said.

Legal Aid of WV is funded by federal dollars, some state funding and private grant funding, Estep noted.

“Legal Aid WV offers a great family friendly work environment and excellent benefit package

which includes medical, dental and life insurance and paid leave,” according to Legal Aid of WV.

Lawyers interested in applying can send a resume and cover letter to: jobs@lawv.net. The deadline to apply is Friday, Nov. 19.