Tenants' coalition urges council support for right-to-counsel program during budget hearing

A coalition of tenant advocates told the Missoula City Council during public comment on Aug. 18 that a tenant right-to-counsel program is ready for implementation in the county and urged city support.

Jackson, speaking for the Missoula Tenants Union and the tenants-right-to-counsel coalition, said the proposed program is "administered and approved by the legal aid office in Montana" and that local partners include Montana Legal Services, Partnership Health, and Front Step Community Land Trust. He told council the program has local partners in place and said it could reduce evictions and homelessness while producing net savings in other city and county budgets. Jackson also said Bozeman is scheduled to implement a similar program this fall and that Missoula Public Health has listed right-to-counsel as a public-health priority.

The mayor and several councilors acknowledged prior meetings with coalition representatives and said they would continue discussions with legal providers and county partners.

Why it matters: Tenant right-to-counsel programs in other jurisdictions have reduced eviction rates and produced cost offsets in emergency services and shelter spending. Advocates asked the city for institutional support to move from planning to implementation and asked council to consider the program as a preventive approach that could reduce broader municipal costs.

Next steps: Coalition members provided written materials and asked council and staff to work with legal-aid partners to identify funding and administrative steps. Councilors present thanked the coalition for the briefing and said staff will continue conversations about implementation possibilities and institutional support.

Quote: "Our program is ready for implementation," Jackson said, asking council for help to make it operational in Missoula.