Douglas County’s Tenant Eviction Defense pilot program has served 37 people since launching in June, and the legal service providers running it are taking more support requests from renters facing eviction.
“The program is designed to assist participants in stabilizing their housing, preventing homelessness and promoting access to clean, safe and sanitary living conditions,” according to a county press release.
If someone gets an eviction notice, Casey Forsyth, director of the Douglas County District Court Self-Help Center, said they should attend their first court date, known as an answer hearing. Attorneys involved in the TED program attend the weekly answer docket and can help tenants then.
Renters can also ask for assistance in advance of the hearing by filling out the application at this link.
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The judge enters an automatic ruling in favor of the landlord if a renter does not appear at the answer hearing. An attorney can help someone negotiate a manageable exit plan with the landlord to leave the apartment or home without an eviction on their record and the threat of becoming suddenly unhoused.
Lawyers can also help renters get incorrectly written eviction notices dismissed or file counterclaims against a landlord who has illegally deferred maintenance or otherwise not adhered to the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
“We’ve heard from tenants that the reason they showed up at court was that they heard help from attorneys would be available,” said Sam Allison-Natale, director of Kansas Holistic Defenders, one of the program contractors. “Hope can be a powerful motivator for people to not give up on what seems like a desperate situation and seek out the resources our community has available.”
County commissioners voted 3-2 in March to approve the limited pilot initiative, using $40,000 already set aside in the budget for renter support. KHD and Kansas Legal Services, in collaboration with the Douglas County District Court Self-Help Center, are running the TED.
Allison-Natale said the people they’ve served since the program kicked off June 1 met with an attorney from either KHD or KLS.
Those people “received either brief service (which ranges from advice, to drafting documents or negotiating with opposing counsel), to full representation (in which an attorney enters an entry of appearance, and appears on behalf of the client in court),” Allison-Natale said.
TED lawyers can also connect renters to other services, help them apply for assistance from the Housing Stabilization Collaborative or “follow-up to help ensure they meet the terms of a settlement agreement,” Allison-Natale said.
“KLS is honored to have the local community’s support for this pilot program, and we look forward to helping low-income tenants access free legal services in Douglas County,” said Brynn Blair, managing attorney at KLS’ Topeka office.
Kansans can also seek to expunge evictions on their records through a Kansas Judicial Branch portal at this link. Read more about the new eviction expungement option in this article. See additional resources below.
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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 [email protected].
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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.
• Find the Kansas Judicial Branch’s eviction expungement portal online at this link.
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.
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; tenant right to counsel
Latest Lawrence news:
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Connor Sutton/Contributed photo
