More low-income residents are seeking help avoiding evictions
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A Colorado Legal Services sign with details about its clinics inside Denver's City Hall building. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
A nonprofit providing low-income renters with legal representation in eviction cases says it saw a notable jump in need for its services last year.
Driving the news: Colorado Springs-based attorney Todd Johnson, who works for the statewide nonprofit Colorado Legal Services, tells us the firm saw a "significant spike" for its housing services in 2023.
- Cases often drop around the holiday season, but he tells us there was no such drop this past year, with demand staying steady.
Why it matters: The spike shows how housing insecurity has risen drastically in the metro area and Colorado, fueled by high housing costs and exorbitant rents, leaving people cost-burdened.
Context: The nonprofit provides legal services in civil matters, including housing, consumer protection, family law, and public benefits, executive director Matt Baca tells us.
State of play: Having an attorney to assist in eviction proceedings drastically improves a person's chances of staying housed — and possibly even avoiding homelessness.
- Johnson says the nonprofit has about a 90% rate of helping people avoid evictions: "I think when you have an attorney, number one, your arguments are taken more seriously," Johnson tells us.
- He says most people face eviction due to non-payment. This situation can develop for people living paycheck-to-paycheck who suddenly have a costly emergency or life event that leaves them with no money for rent.
Between the lines: Colorado Legal Services handled 3,704 eviction cases across the state last year, with more than half of its cases (1,961) representing people of color, according to data provided to Axios Denver.
Zoom in: Last year saw a record number of eviction filings in Denver County Court, which prompted the Denver City Council to pump more money into the city's rent and utility assistance program.
What to watch: Colorado lawmakers want to put guardrails on landlords to limit evictions this session.
- A bill that seeks to limit the reasons for evicting a tenant won approval this week in the House and now moves to the Senate. Another would waive court filing fees for renters involved in eviction cases.
Zoom out: The state is distributing $30 million to low-income renters facing eviction for being behind on payments. The rent assistance checks are capped at $10,000 per household.
- The state legislature will also consider a bill that would provide $5 million more in funding for Colorado Legal Services and other legal aid nonprofits by adding a surcharge to civil court filing fees, Baca tells us.