LITTLETON, Colo. — Legal aid is coming to Arapahoe County starting Tuesday to help low-income tenants dealing with eviction matters.
"Historically, over 90% of landlords are represented by a lawyer. Less than 5% of tenants are," Colorado Legal Services Executive Director Jonathan Asher said Monday.
His nonprofit is partnering with the county to help provide aid. The services include helping tenants get rental assistance, have a better understanding of their rights and more.
"Sometimes it's simply negotiating more time or keeping the eviction off a tenant's record so it eases their ability to rent housing in the future," Asher said.
The county says the $1.5 million in funding for the pilot program is coming from the American Rescue Plan Act. It's modeled after a similar eviction program in Adams County, which a spokesperson says helped more than 85% of the households it served stay housed by giving them more time to move or by getting a housing voucher.
"As we all know, the price of living in the metro area is rapidly increasing. And of course, if people have gone through any kind of professional or medical setbacks during the pandemic, they may have suddenly found themselves in a position that they didn't anticipate," Arapahoe County public information officer Luc Hatlestad said.
The clinic, located at the Arapahoe County Plaza at 1690 W. Littleton Blvd in Littleton, is available by appointment Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 8-11 a.m. starting May 17 for the foreseeable future. To make an appointment, you can visit ColoradoLegalServices.org or call 303-837-1313.
