The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday will review staff recommendations to create a limited tenant right to counsel pilot program for the 2027 fiscal year, despite a renter-led advocacy group’s calls for a program to support all renters facing eviction.
Lawrence Tenants, the renter advocacy group, has gone before the county commission multiple times with a proposed ordinance for tenant right to counsel, which would ensure that all renters in the county have access to legal representation throughout an eviction.
Despite being in talks about a program for more than a year, the county has not implemented TRTC, and commissioners asked staff to compile a report on the topic in October. This report will be reviewed at the Wednesday, Dec. 17 county commission meeting.
Commissioners are not slated to vote or take final action on a proposal.
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Jill deVries Jolicoeur, assistant county administrator, wrote in the report that staff are exploring an “access to representation” pilot program that would be built into the 2027 fiscal year budget process.
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Staff recommend that extensive data be collected throughout the pilot, and that the pilot have a budget cap, meaning that full legal representation is not guaranteed to all renters. This information could help them evaluate the scope of the program for future years.
It’s not clear how renters would qualify for the program, but in the report, staff members ask if the reason for eviction should affect how cases are prioritized.
Staff members also pose other questions for commissioners about the goals of the project, including if and how mediation should be included in the pilot program. Lawrence Tenants organizers have repeatedly opposed mediation in past discussions because they say mediators aren’t experts on tenant-landlord law and are allowed to have conflicts of interest.
To prepare for Wednesday’s discussion, Jolicoeur wrote that staff members have spoken with representatives from Kansas Holistic Defenders, Kansas Legal Services, City of Lawrence Buildings and Code Enforcement, Lawrence-Douglas County Housing authority, Johnson County and the City of Topeka to learn about a scope of services offered to people facing eviction beyond TRTC.
Alternatively, Lawrence Tenants continues to advocate for a full TRTC program with an oversight committee of tenants, advocates and service providers, according to their newsletter.
One of their models for TRTC is KC Tenants and the effective right to counsel program that group helped implement in Kansas City, Missouri. They have also provided public research on TRTC alongside organizations like the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel.
Commissioners will meet for their 5:30 p.m. business meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at the historic courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.
Written public comment may be submitted to the commission up to 24 hours ahead of the meeting time by emailing publiccomment@dgcoks.gov. People may also give public comment in person during business meetings in person or virtually via Zoom.
The Zoom link is available on this page. See the full meeting agenda at this link.
Read more coverage on past TRTC conversations here.
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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
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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at wulfe@lawrencekstimes.com.
Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.
More coverage of housing and homelessness:
Nathan Kramer/Lawrence TimesDouglas County Commission to consider a limited tenant right to counsel pilot program
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Nathan Kramer/Lawrence TimesDouglas County Commission to consider a limited tenant right to counsel pilot program
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
