We still have a lot to learn about evacuation defense in Washington DC – what works, what needs to be improved – but we are already seeing what happens when organizations commit to common goals and make common changes. And that`s what the foundation means when we say in our strategic plan that we want to “transform the civil legal aid network in close collaboration with all stakeholders so that residents of the neighbourhood have a fair and equal legal experience.” The transformation of the network is taking place step by step, and we are proud to support our colleagues in the decisive step in the development of LTLAN. STAY DC is a financial assistance program for tenants and DC housing providers seeking assistance to cover housing and utility costs and compensate for loss of income. Apply today for money to pay for rent, gas, water and electricity. Click stay.dc.gov/ to apply. My apartment needs serious repairs and my landlord won`t do them, or I have other questions about my housing situation For more information about your rights as a tenant, including answers to questions about your lease or what to do if you fall behind on your rent: Legal advice is free and available in any postal code. and available regardless of immigration status. Under New York City`s Right to Attorneys Act (RTC), the DSS/HRA`s Bureau of Criminal Justice (OCJ) offers tenants facing eviction through a housing court administrative proceeding or NYCHA administrative proceeding access to free legal representation and advice from nonprofit legal advisory organizations in all five boroughs. Appellants can speak briefly to a lawyer about their legal problem.

The lawyer will provide information about their options and, if necessary, a referral for full representation. I was locked out of my apartment by my landlord, without a court order or warrant “I`m so excited that everything is falling into place. I think that`s a big improvement for DC tenants, and it helps streamline the process for people who have access to a lawyer at a time when they`re in a real crisis situation with a possible eviction. I also appreciate the court`s partnership with us to publish the LTLAN phone number and alert litigants available for a video hearing of our availability to provide support. This manual from the Neighborhood Legal Services Association is designed to address some common issues you may face as a tenant. It addresses a number of issues, including finding rental housing; Review and signing of your rental agreement; move into your new rental unit Living in your rental unit; and excerpt. [PDF] Content Details If you are a tenant and have questions about harassment from your landlord, repairs to your apartment or building, or your rights as a tenant, please call 311 and ask for the tenant helpline or visit the city`s online tenant resource portal for information and resources for New York tenants. including free legal advice from the OCJ`s not-for-profit legal service providers. If you are a tenant in a dispute with your landlord, please contact the Office of the Tenant Attorney for advice and links to resources, including legal representation. If you are facing an eviction case, the CJO may provide free legal assistance through our non-profit legal service providers to provide you with legal representation or other assistance in your housing court case under city law to a lawyer.

If you believe you have been illegally locked out of your home by your landlord, the OCL may offer free legal services through our non-profit legal service providers to assist you in an “illegal lockout case” in housing court. It is illegal for a landlord to evict you without bringing an eviction action against you in court or before there is a court order authorizing a commissioner to evict you. If you believe you have been illegally locked out, you can take legal action (an “illegal lockout” or “restitution of property”) in the housing court. • Do you need financial support for rent and utilities? Visit our Community Resources page for a complete list of free and low-cost legal services in the district. Below is a list of free legal service providers that specialize in housing. These providers don`t provide legal advice, but they can help you with things like filing documents in court, understanding the process on the day of your hearing, and in limited cases, finding a lawyer to represent you in court. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, these six organizations have joined forces to create a single hotline for tenants facing eviction, where lawyers are available to help those in need. The original plan was to create a new personal intake and referral system in the courthouse, but the pandemic and court closures necessitated a change in approach. “The facilitated meetings have helped us as a provider to see what our differences are and where we can improve to make things better for the litigants we serve. Change can be difficult, but sometimes it takes a difficult process to achieve exceptional results. We had to push each other to create a system that best served the interests of our customer community.

Once we established the network, we were able to meet quickly to ensure that we were doing good public relations and that we were constantly present at the remote hearings held by the Court. This way, the tenants and the court know that we are immediately available for legal assistance. The creation of the network definitely led to a customer-centric approach. It focuses not only on our goals as individual providers, but also on the common goal of providing efficient and high-quality legal services to tenants in need. The organizations listed below do not provide legal advice or representation, but can provide advice and training on how to assert your rights as a tenant or consumer in the district. This “Rent an Apartment” video from North Penn Legal Services addresses many practical questions that tenants and landlords should consider before entering into a lease. Landlords are particularly interested in an in-depth discussion about advertising and discriminatory rental practices. The format includes thumbnails and a round table. (24 minutes) Read more If you are faced with a request from your landlord to make an eviction order against you, the OCL can provide you with free legal services through our non-profit legal service provider partners under the City`s Right to Counsel Act. The OCJ has partnered with Legal Services to provide tenants in New York City with free access to telephone legal advice and information. A brochure for tenants living in federal housing from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(PDF format, 8 pages) Content Details To access the OJC`s legal advice on tenant housing, please call 311 and ask for the City`s Tenant Helpline. The Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network provides free telephone legal information to unrepresented tenants and small unrepresented landlords who have housing disputes in the District of Columbia. Please call 202.780.2575. Further information can be found in our leaflet. MidPenn Legal Services information guide for tenants explaining their right to safe and decent housing and the right to deduct the cost of necessary repairs from future rents if the landlord does not make repairs. The OCJ Housing Help Helpline is available Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to provide legal advice and telephone information to New York City tenants who need help with legal questions regarding rent, lease, or other landlord-tenant matters.