DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Ver?nica R. Soto, FAICP, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All Council Districts
SUBJECT:
Briefing on the Right to Counsel program.
SUMMARY:
The Right to Counsel program consists of legal services for renters at or below 100% area median income who are facing landlord/tenant issues such as eviction, tenant Know-Your-Rights trainings and support to city staff working at the courts on eviction interventions.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The FY 2020 Adopted Budget included a recurring earmark of $100,000 in existing Risk Mitigation budget of $1,000,000 for a Right to Counsel (RTC) pilot program. This program provides help to renters at or below 100% area median income who are facing landlord/tenant issues, such as eviction. It currently administered by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. (TRLA). Through the program, tenants receive advice and representation. TRLA also conducts monthly tenant Know-Your-Rights trainings for the general public in English and Spanish.
The Right to Counsel Pilot Program began in March 1, 2020. Since that time TRLA has provided 349 households with legal services, all below 80% AMI. TRLA has also provided 13 public 'Know Your Rights' trainings on tenants' rights to over 1,000 individuals.
In June 2020, the pilot program expanded using federal CARES Act funding in order to meet further need attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to advice and representation to tenants and monthly Know-Your-Rights trainings, TRLA helps train and provides 'virtual help-desk services' to the eviction court support team from the Neighborhood and Housing Services under this contract. The services were key in several instances where parties had questions about the CDC moratorium and the process for filing appeals with courts. TRLA further supported tenants in filing appeals by submitting the required payment to the court in the amount of one-month's rent to process the appeal t...
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