Committee approves ordinance to codify right to counsel in eviction cases after extensive public comment
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Summary
The Los Angeles City Council Housing and Homelessness Committee voted to approve a measure to codify a right to counsel for tenants facing eviction. Dozens of tenant organizers, legal-service providers and tenants urged approval during public comment, saying legal representation reduces evictions and homelessness.
The Los Angeles City Council Housing and Homelessness Committee on March 3 approved an ordinance to codify a right to counsel for tenants in eviction proceedings (agenda item 8), after sustained public comment from tenant organizers, legal-service providers and renters.
Committee members approved the ordinance as part of a consent package; the roll call recorded Council member Grama, Council member Gerardo and Council member Blumenfield voting in favor, with Council member Price and Council member Nazarian absent.
Advocates and service providers told the committee that legal representation improves outcomes for tenants and reduces evictions. "I strongly support a codified right to counsel ordinance," said Amy Linda Nevarez, a renter in District 8 and a Stay Housed LA worker. "Right to counsel in other cities across the nation has proven to save the city money, prevent homelessness, and reduce the number of evictions." Lauren Harper of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles said the program has grown from 24 attorneys in 2020 to over 80 now and that the ordinance would let Stay Housed LA expand representation.
Speakers described daily experience in eviction court and urged the council to vote yes. "The eviction court system is incredibly confusing, stressful, and intense," said tenant organizer Lena Sullivan. "It is absolutely not enough" to rely on education tools for self-representation. Nicholas Lampros, an attorney with Bet Tzedek Legal Services, described client cases in which the presence or absence of counsel was the difference between keeping a home and losing it.
Multiple nonprofit and legal-service representatives — including the Supportive Housing Alliance, the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing, Liberty Hill Foundation, InterCity Law Center and Bet Tzedek — voiced support for the ordinance as drafted. Jessica Prieto of Liberty Hill reported outreach figures for the Stay Housed LA program: "So far, we have reached over 770,000 tenants just through direct tenant outreach. We've hosted over 700 workshops, and we've provided over 37,000 tenants tenant navigation services," she said.
The committee placed item 8 on consent and approved it; the committee chair said the measure will move forward for further action consistent with council procedures.
Next steps include final actions necessary for citywide implementation and coordination with existing legal-service providers and the Stay Housed LA program; committee members and speakers said they expect rollout and capacity-building work to follow the ordinance's approval.