Legal Help for Tenants Rights
Tenants maintain certain rights in relationship to their landlords, their lease agreements and their possession of the premises which they are renting. Not all tenants fully are aware of the rights that they do possess. Moreover, there are tenants that really do not know of the resources that are available to them which can assist in protecting and advancing their rights.
There are a variety of organizations as well as governmental agencies in operation today that provide support to tenants who need assistance in protecting their rights and interests. Many of these resources can be accessed in a tenant's home community while others are available on the Internet.
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History
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Through the greater part of the 20th century, tenants were vested with very few rights in relationship to their landlords. Beginning in the 1960s, tenants began to garner more rights in regard to their rental properties.
A milestone occurred with codification of various tenant rights within the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and similar types of laws enacted across the United States. With the passage of legislation designed to confirm and establish various tenant rights, individuals who rented property theoretically were placed in stronger positions.
Nonetheless, despite the creation of laws designed to ensure the protection of tenants in certain situations, violations of tenant rights continue even to this very day. Consequently, tenants do need to access various resources from time to time in order to protect their interests.
Legal Aid Organizations
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Beginning in the 1950s, different types of legal aid organizations were established in different communities across the United States. By the 1970s, these legal aid offices started to receive federal funding to assist in underwriting the costs of operation.
Since the earliest days of these legal aid organizations, the attorneys associated with these offices provided legal assistance and representation for tenants. These organizations literally have been on the forefront of protecting tenant rights.
A tenant that is experiencing issues arising from her occupancy of rental premises, including any type of potential violation of her rights, can utilize a legal aid organization as a resource in many instances. The caveat is that each local legal organizations uses certain income guidelines when accepting cases. In order for legal aid to accept a case, a potential client must fall within these income guidelines. A potential client can contact the local legal aid office to learn more about these guidelines.
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Law School Clinics
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Another resource through which an individual can obtain legal assistance with tenant rights is a clinic operated by a law school. Across the United States, law schools typically operate law clinics. Law clinics are staffed by third year (final year) law students who work under the supervision of a licensed attorney. These students obtain temporary certification to represent clients in court in certain types of cases.
One area in which law school clinics routinely provide assistance is in protecting the rights an interests of tenants. These clinics particularly are active in providing representation to individuals who are facing or actual involved in eviction proceedings.
The vast majority of law school clinics charge nothing for their services. A few do charge a minimal fee using a sliding scale based on income.
HUD
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers an array of informational and related resources for tenants. This includes vital information about the specific rights tenants do have in a particular situation (for example, when facing eviction).
The resources of HUD can be accessed through its website at hud.org. Additionally, through the website you can locate both regional and local HUD offices near you through which you can also access the full array of services that the agency offers to tenants.
Tenants Rights Organizations
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There are a wide range of different types of tenants' rights organizations in existence today in states and communities from coast to coast. These organizations tend to be involved in advocacy relating to tenants rights. Moreover, many of these organizations also provide resources through which tenants can obtain information and even representation in regard to cases in which they believe their rights are violated.
An example of a statewide tenants right organization is Tenants Together, online at tenantstogether.org. This group is dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of tenants in California. Each state has a similar type of organization.
The Metropolitan Tenants Organization is an example of a municipal tenants rights organization, serving renters in Chicago.
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References
Resources
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