A renter-led group pushing for accessible and affordable housing in Lawrence will soon host a town hall on tenants’ right to legal representation in eviction cases.
The town hall is set for 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 31 in the Mayflower Meeting Room at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St.
Nationally, in a vast majority of eviction cases, landlords have legal representation but tenants do not.
There are more than 400 eviction cases filed each year in Douglas County District Court, according to Lawrence Tenants. There were almost double that — 764 — filed in 2023, according to a report to the Douglas County Commission.
“Establishing a Tenant Right to Counsel guarantees that every tenant facing eviction has access to a lawyer. In some communities, this policy even extends to providing limited legal advice for tenants dealing with any type of housing issue,” according to information from Lawrence Tenants. “Across the United States, communities are adopting Tenant Right to Counsel to prevent people from being illegally forced out of their homes.”
The concept may be gaining steam in Lawrence.
Presenters shared a survey documenting experiences of local tenants with Lawrence city commissioners in March. The presentation prompted commissioners to pursue creation of a tenant bill of rights, and to explore what it would take to ensure tenants can have legal counsel. A presenter also told the commission there is a work group crafting an ordinance to present to the Douglas County Commission regarding tenant right to counsel.
In addition, Lawrence Tenants pointed to a demographic report showing that Black and Indigenous people are disproportionately represented among Lawrence Community Shelter guests.
“In Douglas County, the demographics of homelessness tell a deeper story,” the organization’s event info page states. “… Tenant Right to Counsel has been shown to help keep tenants — particularly tenants of color — in their homes. At Lawrence Tenants, we believe racial justice is essential to building a better housing future.”
Saturday’s agenda includes John Pollock, coordinator for the National Coalition for Civic Right to Counsel, speaking on tenant right to counsel and common misconceptions about it. Attendees will also hear from organizers “about the history of TRTC in our community, and tenants will also speak about what a Tenant Right to Counsel means to them,” according to the organization.
The town hall is open to everyone. An RSVP form is available at this link.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
Resources for renters and tenants
Tenant issues and rights:
• Read about the rights Kansas tenants have and issues that could come up before, during and after tenancy from Kansas Legal Services.
• Find more info and connect with Lawrence Tenants.
Evictions:
• Learn about the eviction process from the Kansas Judicial Branch at this link.
• Check out the self-help page on the Douglas County District Court’s website at dgcoks.gov/district-court/self-help for resources and helpful forms.
City of Lawrence fair housing help:
• Find information about the city’s fair housing civil rights enforcement procedures and a form to initiate a complaint on the city’s website at lawrenceks.org/attorney/fairhousing, or call 785-832-3310.
• Read more about the city’s source of income discrimination ban at lawrenceks.org/attorney/soi.
Rental assistance:
• Apply for help from the Douglas County Housing Stabilization Collaborative via the county’s website at this link.
• Apply for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, LIEAP, at this link during colder months to help cover home energy costs.
• Find more resources to help with rent and utility payments on the Lawrence Public Library’s website.
News coverage:
• See the latest articles from The Lawrence Times on the following topics: homelessness and housing; renter rights; source of income discrimination; affordable housing
