Eviction Legal Services Program (1031-2026)
At a glance
Based on auto-generated captions; names and details may be misheard and outcomes incomplete.
- What: Ordinance 1031-2026, as amended (Councilmember Santana and Council President Griffin, by departmental request), authorizes agreements with the Legal Aid Society as lead partner to provide legal services to covered people in eviction proceedings under a section of the Codified Ordinances.
- Where it stands: passed 13-0 on second reading on 2026-10-12.
- Committee: heard earlier that day by the Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, which approved it as amended (funding now $1.25 million).
- Next: implementation by the community development department; Legal Aid to supply case outcomes and meet with a councilmember on how intake works.
Vote, 2026-10-12
- Rules suspended and passage both 13-0; no debate.
Committee discussion, 2026-10-12
- The amendment sets funding at $1.25 million: the original $750,000 plus $500,000 council added in budget reconciliation. Council President Griffin recalled that council created the right-to-counsel program because many tenants lacked representation in housing court.
- Staff cited 5,370 eviction cases served and about 18,940 residents; Ward 1 had 355 cases in 2024 and 373 in 2025 (staff said Wards 7 and 8 had the highest counts). Staff said "served" can mean any combination of advice, filings or court appearances.
- Councilmember Joseph Jones said he visited the Legal Aid office three times and made calls but could not get help for seriously ill tenants facing eviction, and asked about income limits (staff did not know). Griffin asked for a one-on-one meeting with Legal Aid on the intake process.
- Councilmember Kazy asked for case dispositions rather than counts of people served, and whether evictions are rising or falling; staff agreed to send outcome data.
Sources
- 2026-10-06 - Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee
- https://youtube.com/watch?v=MvNs5g1O-jU
- https://youtube.com/watch?v=q11L3S7ape0
Discussion time
About 13 minutes across 2 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-12 - Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee | 12 |
| 2026-10-12 - City Council | 1 |
Log
- 2026-10-12 - City Council - Passed 13-0 on second reading.
- 2026-10-12 - Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee - Heard in committee; funding raised to $1.25 million, intake complaints and outcome data requested, approved as amended.
- 2026-10-06 - Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee - Committee added $500,000 (contract now $1.25 million) and approved the ordinance as amended.
- 2026-09-29 - Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee - Held to the following Tuesday because many members did not understand the funding source.