State Rep. Rick Krajewski, D-Phila., city officials and stakeholders held a news conference today in the Philadelphia City Council Chambers to discuss $2.5 million in new funding in the 2024-25 state budget for the creation of a statewide Right to Counsel program, which will fund legal assistance for low-income tenants.

During his February budget address, Gov. Josh Shapiro called for the creation of a statewide Right to Counsel program, modeled off of the successful program in Philadelphia. Shortly after, Krajewski, along with state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., introduced corresponding legislation.

“I am so incredibly proud of the work that stakeholders, advocates and legislators in the General Assembly did to secure the $2.5 million in funding necessary to launch a statewide Right to Counsel program,” Krajewski said. “This $2.5 million downpayment is just the first step. To win a true statewide Right to Counsel for all working families, we need to spend 10 times more. As we celebrate this historic win, we must keep fighting for this program’s expansion to serve every eligible tenant.”

The Pennsylvania Right to Counsel Program will direct funds toward the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, which will distribute dollars to legal aid organizations across the state for work on tenant representation and advocacy.

A report prepared for the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network in 2021 estimated that a full implementation of a Right to Counsel program would serve an additional 17,200 households each year and cost the state $23 million dollars.

Nationwide, only of 3% of tenants are represented in housing court, compared to 81% of landlords. Right to Counsel programs and dramatically decrease evictions by preventing default judgements and unfair rulings against tenants. They also save taxpayer dollars by decreasing county and state spending on evictions, homeless shelters, health services and other social welfare programs.

From supporters

“Millions of families across the commonwealth are struggling to find and keep housing because they lost a job or got sick,” Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El said. “The families that get evicted are working people, they’re black people, they’re brown people. They’ve survived domestic abuse, lost their jobs, just tried to make ends meet, and they deserve better. The Right to Counsel program will help keep our neighbors in their homes and make sure they have access to all the protections the Constitution and the law can offer.”

“When given access to legal counsel, people facing eviction are connected with an advocate to help them navigate the byzantine tangles of our court system, allowing them to stay in their homes and communities -- and moreover, enabling them to stabilize their lives, fortify their families, and defend against displacement,” said state Sen. Nikil Saval, D-Phila. “This is an incredible victory for Pennsylvanians and a crucial tool in our Commonwealth’s work to fight the housing crisis. I’m committed to supporting my colleagues in expanding this incredible program to meet the full need.”

“Thousands of Pennsylvania families are only one missed paycheck away from losing their homes,” said Councilmember Kendra Brooks, minority leader, at-large. “We’ve seen in Philadelphia that programs like Right to Counsel and Eviction Diversion are effective, popular, and successful at keeping people in their homes. I’m thankful for State Representative Krajewski’s efforts to win the first-ever state funding for Right to Counsel, and I look forward to working with him in the future to secure even more funding to combat our housing crisis and keep Pennsylvanians in their homes.”

“We are grateful to Representative Krajewski for his support of Right to Counsel and his other efforts to keep tenants safe from eviction. It matters when tenants have a lawyer by their side. Across the Commonwealth, legal aid for people experiencing eviction has been proven to stabilize neighborhoods and communities, keep children in school and out of foster care, ensure workers can maintain their jobs, and prevent gun violence,” said Kadeem Morris, co-managing attorney of the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services. “This legislation will provide flexibility to legal aid programs in all 67 counties so they can continue to prevent homelessness and displacement through services tailored to the communities they serve."

“Too often we see tenants get steamrolled through the eviction process without having a fair shot. Having an attorney fight for you in court is something everyone deserves, and this is a major step in helping tenants avoid unfair evictions,” said Adam Goldman, executive director of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project & Unemployment Information Center.

“Without a safe place to live, it can be extremely hard to maintain a job or get kids to school every day,” said Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler. “Right to Counsel is proven to keep families in their homes, so they can focus on what matters most. The appropriation in this year’s budget is a downpayment on a long-term solution -- a promise that we will make eviction defense a right in Pennsylvania.”

“In Philadelphia, Right-to-Counsel has overwhelmingly helped Black women -- who disproportionately experience eviction -- get access to invaluable legal services. When you don’t know your rights and don’t have the funds available to afford legal counsel, the courts can often feel like a bulldozer,” said state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila, chair of the Philadelphia House Delegation. “By providing access to quality legal representation for free, our city has helped to level the playing field and ensured that people’s rights aren’t trampled over. Our delegation has been a leader in Harrisburg fighting for statewide eviction reforms and changing the way that Philadelphia handles evictions to reduce violence during the evictions process.”

"Thanks to the leadership of Representatives Krajewski, Fiedler and Smith-Wade-El, as well as Governor Shapiro, Pennsylvania will follow in the city of Philadelphia's footsteps and implement a Right to Counsel Program. The city’s Right to Counsel initiative stabilizes our neighborhoods and uplifts low-income tenants,” said Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. “As housing costs continue to rise, it has never been more important to support our most vulnerable residents. I'm excited that the commonwealth's investment will allow us to keep even more working families in their homes”

“In Philly, we’re continuing to learn the value of treating evictions as a measure of last resort. The last two years have seen the expansion of landlord-tenant mediation, rental repayment, and Right to Counsel for tenants who cannot afford legal representation,” said Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke. “It’s deeply gratifying to see members of the Philly Delegation bring that same energy and intention to Harrisburg, seeking to take Philly’s Right to Counsel program statewide. I applaud them!”

“The implementation of the Right to Counsel program for low-income tenants is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to protect renters and prevent unnecessary evictions. With free legal representation, we are taking a step to uphold the rights of all residents,” said Councilmember Rue Landau.