Philly Leader

In an effort to halt evictions in the city, Philadelphia has launched a program to give renters struggling with back rent access to legal representation.

The Right to Counsel initiative that the Philadelphia City Council passed in 2019 has been in effect since earlier this month.

“We want to prevent evictions and keep people safely housed,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kinney said in a tweet. “That’s why we recently launched #RightToCounsel. If you live in zip codes 19121 or 19139, you have the right to a free lawyer to help with your eviction hearing if you're low-income.”

A city-issued press release said low-income renters in the 19139 and 19121 ZIP codes in danger of being evicted can contact the Philly Tenant Hotline at (267) 443-2500.

Tenants can receive legal counsel and support from Community Legal Services, SeniorLAW Center, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Philly VIP and Tenant Union Representative Network.

“Establishing a Right to Counsel in Philadelphia creates a new and effective tool to ensure the rights of Philadelphia renters and resolve disputes,” Deputy Managing Director for Health and Human Services Eva Gladstein said in the release. “Evictions overwhelmingly impact women and children and negatively affect the community as a whole. With this launch in two ZIP codes, Right to Counsel will build on the work of the Taskforce on Eviction Prevention and Response and the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project to support tenants, ensure fair processes, and prevent unnecessary evictions.”

The initiative is part of the increasing network of resources the city has in place to assist renters facing eviction and is financially backed by the city’s Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project budget.

According to Philadelphia PBS affiliate WHYY, more than 50% of the city’s population consists of renters.

A Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank study said the number of properties available to low-income renters had decreased by 20% between 2000 and 2014, the station reported.