Tenant Right to Counsel in Evictions
The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative supports the Right to Counsel in Evictions legislation that is being considered by the Baltimore City Council. City Council Bill 20-0625 would establish a right to counsel for tenants in Baltimore City to be legally represented in cases involving eviction. The legislation is being heard before the full Baltimore City Council on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 5:00 PM.
Ruth Ann Norton, GHHI’s President and CEO, emphasized the importance of the legislation in furthering racial, health and economic equity goals in stating: “Tenants have the right to representation to insure that hazardous conditions are repaired in their homes, that their properties are in compliance with local and state lead laws and that they are not subject to retaliatory eviction actions.” Establishing the right to counsel will also reduce homelessness and disruptive relocations for families while producing net cost savings by reducing costs for: homeless shelters, Medicaid spending in hospitals, lost state funding to City schools, and foster care costs. Read the Baltimore Renters United Fact Sheet on the City Council Bill and the list of supporting partner organizations. See also: Civil Right to Counsel
Join the November 16th Baltimore City Council Webex Meeting by clicking on: City Council Meeting