All people, regardless of their circumstances or background, should have safe and stable housing — it’s a fundamental human right. Yet, too often, South Carolinians are faced with evictions that threaten their homes, their families, and their well-being. Even more often, people facing eviction are left to navigate that legal hurdle by themselves, without legal representation. This systematically sets up tenants to fail, forcing them to leave their homes and leaving them to deal with the devastating, long-lasting impacts of eviction.
We support this bill because:
In more than 99% of eviction proceedings, renters have no legal representation, which most often results in the loss of a home which can trigger devastating repercussions for renters and their families including homelessness and poor health and education outcomes.
Eviction Right to Counsel is an enacted law that guarantees eligible tenants will be offered free full legal representation in covered eviction court proceedings funded and enacted through the State legislative process. To read the full case for Eviction Right to Counsel in South Carolina, including a cost-benefit analysis that predicts a $3-to-1 return on investment for the state, visit our campaign page here.
The latest:
H. 3844 remains in the House Judiciary Committee awaiting a hearing. Lawmakers have begun adding their names as cosponsors as the housing and eviction crisis continues to devastate South Carolinians.
Take action:
One way to advance legislation is to grow the list of cosponsors on a bill. You can use this form on our website to contact your state House representative and the chair of the House Judiciary Committee:
