Boston.com: Wu announces Access to Counsel Pilot Program to combat housing displacement

Darin Zullo, Boston.com

Mayor Michelle Wu announced a new pilot program Tuesday to provide free legal representation in housing court to eligible families.

The initiative, known as the Access to Counsel Pilot Program, aims to support families with school-aged children facing eviction, according to a release from the Mayor’s Office. The program is being led by the Office of Housing Stability (OHS) in partnership with Boston Public Schools, the release said.

“The upheaval and uncertainty that comes with eviction can disrupt every aspect of a family’s life, especially for children who need stability to succeed in school,” Wu said in the release. “This program is about helping families get the support they need to stay in their homes and stay connected to their communities.”

Through BPS’ Early Homelessness Intervention Program, school homelessness liaisons will identify at-risk families, according to the release. FamilyAid Boston, a homelessness non-profit, will then coordinate with Greater Boston Legal Services to provide these families with the necessary guidance, the release said.

The Access to Counsel program is part of Boston’s wider eviction prevention strategy. Other resources as part of the strategy include emergency rental assistance, housing search services, and early interventions and mediation services in housing court, the release said.

Due to these interventions, the OHS was able to prevent 423 evictions in 2024, according to the release.

The program is prioritizing families with school-aged children specifically to minimize educational disruptions and stabilize family environments for the sake of children’s education and physical and mental health, the release said. By providing legal representation to these families first, the program seeks to combat the negative effects of evictions on childhood development.

Families with students enrolled in BPS are advised to access the program by contacting the school’s Family Engagement Coordinator, according to a guide to the program.

The city’s FY25 annual operating budget has allocated $300,000 in funding for the pilot program, set to be distributed by the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet, according to the release. This funding is expected to assist 120 households in 2025, the release said.

“Housing stability is essential for our families, schools, and neighborhoods,” Wu said in the release. “We are proud to take this step forward to support our most vulnerable residents and explore solutions that work for our entire city.”

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