Tenant experiences report finds widespread housing instability in Douglas County; groups urge tenant protections and legal help

The Lawrence City Commission received a presentation of the Douglas County Tenant Experiences report during a work session Tuesday. The report — produced by the KU Center for Community Health and Development with local partners and funded in part by public‑health grants — summarizes responses from more than 1,000 residents about rental search experiences, housing quality, maintenance, harassment and eviction.

The survey found that many renters face high housing costs, repeated rent increases, withheld deposits, housing quality problems and barriers to seeking repairs for fear of retaliation. Respondents reported that securing a rental commonly required multiple applications and months of searching; 67% said they had experienced rent increases and 22% of those reported increases of $200 or more per month. Of respondents who had received eviction notices, 94% reported they had no legal representation; 62% of those evicted lost housing and 20 respondents reported becoming homeless.

Why it matters: The report ties housing instability to other public‑health and safety concerns. Presenters told commissioners that eviction and landlord retaliation are associated in research with higher risks of violence, worsened physical and mental health and increased homelessness. The report offers a menu of policy options for local leaders.

Findings and policy options

• Conditions and maintenance: Nearly two-thirds of respondents who submitted maintenance requests said problems were not resolved; 37% reported they avoided making requests for fear of landlord retaliation. Reported issues included mold, plumbing and foundation problems, nonworking appliances and pest infestations.

• Harassment and safety: Ninety respondents said landlords had verbally harassed or threatened them; twelve reported physical harassment or assault by a landlord or landlord representative. One respondent said they "almost wanted to get a restraining order but I'm thinking how do you get a restraining order from your landlord?" (public comment quoted in presentation).

• Eviction impacts: Many tenants facing eviction lacked legal counsel and experienced housing loss. The presenters noted evidence from other jurisdictions that legal representation in eviction proceedings greatly increases the likelihood a tenant can remain housed.

• Recommended policy actions: Presenters recommended a tenant bill of rights that outlines minimum standards and protections; prohibition or limits on excessive "junk fees"; eviction-record sealing or expungement; local programs to provide tenant right to counsel in eviction cases; and just‑cause eviction ordinances that restrict nonrenewal or eviction without a listed, verifiable reason.

Presenters and response

Leah Roseland, the city’s Affordable Housing Administrator, introduced the session. Christina Poole of the KU Center for Community Health and Development summarized national research linking housing instability to health and safety harms and relayed the survey’s local results. Vince Munoz of Lawrence Tenants described the community-led outreach and distribution that produced the responses.

Commissioners asked whether the city could implement the recommended changes alone or would need county or state action. Staff and presenters said some items (for example, tenant right to counsel) are often organized at the county or larger-jurisdiction level because of court structure, while a tenant bill of rights or local limits on fees are actions municipal governments have used elsewhere. Presenters recommended a phased approach and closer exploration of implementation logistics.

Next steps and possible actions

Commissioners asked staff to return with more detail where the city has authority to act, and with a suggested short‑/mid‑/long‑term roadmap tying particular policy options to implementation steps and likely funding channels. Several commissioners said a tenant bill of rights could be a near‑term priority to clarify expectations and rights for landlords and tenants.

— Ending note: The report frames tenant protections as an upstream strategy to reduce homelessness and improve public health; staff and advocates urged the commission to consider targeted legal, administrative and regulatory options and to coordinate with Douglas County on court‑level responses.