# Understanding the Eviction Right to Counsel Act of 2025

This bill creates a federal fund to help states and local governments pay for lawyers to represent low-income tenants in eviction cases. Right now, when a landlord takes a tenant to court to evict them, many poor renters can't afford a lawyer and have to face the court alone. This bill would change that by providing federal money to communities that pass laws guaranteeing free legal representation for tenants earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line (roughly $28,000 for a single person in 2025).

The bill sets aside $100 million per year for five years to fund this program. States, cities, and tribal governments can apply for grants if they've already passed laws requiring free legal help for tenants in eviction cases. The money can be used to hire and train lawyers to represent these tenants. The bill also gives priority funding to communities that have additional tenant protections in place, like laws limiting when landlords can evict, requiring 30-day notice periods, offering rental assistance programs, or running eviction prevention programs.

The practical impact would be significant for struggling renters. Having a lawyer in an eviction case dramatically improves a tenant's chances of staying housed—studies show represented tenants are far more likely to win their cases or negotiate better terms than those representing themselves. For communities, this could mean fewer people becoming homeless and the associated costs that come with that. However, the bill only works if states and cities first pass their own right-to-counsel laws; the federal money is meant to help pay for programs that local governments have already committed to creating.