Tenant right to counsel

Tenant right to counsel (TRTC) guarantees that eligible tenants will be provided legal representation, especially when tenants face eviction. Without a right to counsel, tenants are represented by lawyers around 3% of the time on average, whereas landlords have legal representation in 84% of cases. TRTC is viewed as a form of homelessness prevention, but eviction potentially implicates a number of other basic human needs, such as child custody, education, employment, and physical/mental health. Generally, tenant right to counsel programs are successful, resulting in lower eviction rates and more time, reduced rent arrears, and a sealed eviction record for tenants for those who cannot or do not want to stay in their homes.