Tenant right to counsel (TRTC) guarantees that eligible tenants will be provided legal representation, especially when tenants face eviction. Without a right to counsel, tenants are represented by lawyers around 3% of the time on average, whereas landlords have legal representation in 84% of cases.[1][2] TRTC is viewed as a form of homelessness prevention,[3] but eviction potentially implicates a number of other basic human needs, such as child custody, education, employment, and physical/mental health. [4] Generally, tenant right to counsel programs are successful, resulting in lower eviction rates and more time, reduced rent arrears, and a sealed eviction record for tenants for those who cannot or do not want to stay in their homes.[5][6][7][6]
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- ^ Ludden, Jennifer. "More renters facing eviction have a right to a lawyer. Finding one can be hard". NPR.
- ^ "Eviction representation statistics for landlords and tenants absent special intervention" (PDF). National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel.
- ^ Phillips, Kynala (April 13, 2023). "Kansas City wants to prevent homelessness by cutting evictions. Is it working?". Kansas City Star.
- ^ Pollock, John (2024). "Right to Counsel for Tenants Facing Eviction: Justification, History, and Future". Fordham Urban Law Journal.
- ^ "Eviction Protection Grant Program | HUD USER". huduser.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
- ^ a b "Right to Counsel". nyc.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
- ^ "Tenant Right to Counsel - Representation Impact and Cost/Benefit Data". National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
- ^ "The Right to Counsel for Tenants Facing Eviction: Enacted Legislation" (PDF). National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel.