Eviction Right to Counsel Passes in Unincorporated LA County

Starting January 1, 2025, low-income tenants who are facing eviction will have the right to legal representation in their eviction proceedings. Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis co-authored the ordinance, which was unanimously approved by the County Board of Supervisors in July. The landmark ordinance is the first of its kind in Southern California and is a massive victory for tenants, coming after months of steady advocacy from Liberty Hill’s partners in the Right to Counsel Coalition.

A right to counsel in LA County will address a long-standing power imbalance between tenants and landlords: according to The Center for American Progress, 10% of tenants facing eviction in LA County have legal representation, compared to 90% of landlords. This will begin to change in January, when tenants in unincorporated LA County whose household income is less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) will qualify for free legal representation.

Legal services will be provided by Stay Housed LA, a partnership between the Legal Aid Foundation of LA, Liberty Hill, and dozens of legal service providers and community-based organizations. Liberty Hill will be a key implementer of the new right to counsel by coordinating outreach, education, and referral efforts via its 16 community-based organization partners throughout the County.

Despite this win, the fight is far from over. Crucially, this ordinance only protects tenants in unincorporated LA County. It will take years of advocacy to expand this right to all the County’s 88 cities.

Next, the Right to Counsel Coalition is turning its attention to the ongoing fight for a similar policy in the City of LA, where the coalition continues to fight to strengthen the language in the City Attorney’s draft ordinance. The coalition has succeeded in incorporating several of its recommended amendments, and the draft ordinance is expected to go before the City Council for approval before the end of the year.

Learn more about the Housing & Economic Justice work at Liberty Hill.