Albany advisory commission weighs options to expand tenant and landlord legal assistance

At a meeting of the Albany Housing Advisory Commission, staff and residents reviewed local options for expanding access to legal counsel in rental-housing matters, focusing on eviction defense, early intervention and outreach to both low‑income tenants and small property owners.

The presentation from Chris Hess, a consultant for the City of Albany, summarized the state and regional landscape and the effect legal representation has on eviction outcomes. “On the tenant side of things, having a legal representation in an eviction case makes an enormous difference in the outcome,” Hess said. “Folks that have legal representation are extremely likely, 90% in many cases, likely to actually retain their housing eventually.” He noted that California does not guarantee a right to counsel statewide and that local approaches vary from referral networks to city contracts with nonprofit providers.

The commission’s discussion and public comment centered on three themes: filling gaps in capacity, improving awareness of…