Eviction counsel and rental assistance

Stopping Evictions at the Courthouse Door

When a tenant faces a sudden medical bill or car breakdown, a $1,000 rent shortfall can trigger an eviction filing within days.

In eviction court, the power imbalance is stark: over 80% of landlords have legal representation, while fewer than 10% of tenants have an attorney. An eviction filing on a public record makes finding future housing almost impossible.

Emergency rental assistance and right-to-counsel legal programs are designed to stop that downward spiral before a tenant loses their keys.

The Campaign Vision: Right to Counsel and Emergency Grants

The campaign platform advocates for establishing a municipal Right to Counsel program for low-income tenants in eviction proceedings, alongside expanded emergency rental assistance funds.

The goal is to keep families housed, reduce homelessness intake, and level the playing field in Ninth Judicial Circuit eviction court.

Who Holds the Keys: Legal Aid Non-Profits and County Court Judges

Executing an eviction prevention strategy requires coordination across several institutions: * **Legal Aid Organizations:** Groups like Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida and Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association must hire and staff tenant defense attorneys. * **Ninth Judicial Circuit Courts:** County judges and court clerks must allow eviction diversion mediation steps before issuing writs of possession. * **Municipal Budget Appropriations:** City Hall must contract with legal aid entities and manage emergency fund distribution.

A Mayor can propose budgeting city funds for legal aid contracts. But the Mayor cannot alter state judicial court rules or force judges to grant continuances.

Follow the Evidence: What Program Audits Show

Data from pandemic-era eviction diversion programs in Orange County proved that combining emergency rental cash with legal representation resolved over 70% of eviction filings without displacement.

However, once federal pandemic emergency grants expired, local program funding shrank drastically.

A permanent Right to Counsel program cannot rely on temporary federal relief funds—it requires a permanent, annual municipal budget line item.

The Real Executive Test: Funding the Public Defender for Tenants

Emergency rental assistance and legal defense are proven, cost-effective interventions.

The test for voters is simple: *How much local city general revenue will be budgeted annually for tenant legal representation, what income limits will apply, and how quickly can emergency checks be disbursed to landlords before eviction judgments are entered?*