I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10535 
To provide grants to State and local governments that enact right to counsel 
legislation for low-income tenants facing eviction, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 19, 2024 
Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To provide grants to State and local governments that enact 
right to counsel legislation for low-income tenants facing 
eviction, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Eviction Right to 
Counsel Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. EVICTION RIGHT TO COUNSEL FUND. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 
individual’’ means a tenant with an income that is 
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equal to or less than 200 percent of the Federal pov-
erty line. 
(2) COVERED
PROCEEDING.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered proceeding’’ means a civil action in a court or 
administrative forum for— 
(A) eviction, or an equivalent ejectment, 
from the primary residence of the tenant; or 
(B) the termination of a housing subsidy. 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a State government, a local government, 
or an Indian Tribal government. 
(4) FUND.—The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Evic-
tion Right to Counsel Fund established under sub-
section (b). 
(5) INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 
‘‘Indian Tribal government’’ has the meaning given 
the term ‘‘Indian tribal government’’ in section 102 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 
(6) RIGHT
TO
COUNSEL
LEGISLATION.—The 
term ‘‘right to counsel legislation’’ means legislation 
that specifies that full legal representation shall be 
provided at no cost to all covered individuals in a 
covered proceeding. 
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(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 
(8) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and any ter-
ritory or possession of the United States. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the 
Treasury of the United States a fund to be known 
as the ‘‘Eviction Right to Counsel Fund’’ consisting 
of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
paragraph (2). 
(2) DEPOSITS TO THE FUND.—There are au-
thorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
to 
the 
Fund 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
2029 for the cost of making grants under subsection 
(c). 
(c) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program to provide grants to eligible entities that 
enact right to counsel legislation. 
(2) APPLICATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity that 
desires a grant from the Secretary under this 
subsection shall submit to the Secretary an ap-
plication at such time, in such manner, and ac-
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companied by such information as the Secretary 
may reasonably require. 
(B) REQUIREMENT.—An application sub-
mitted under subparagraph (A) shall include a 
certification that the eligible entity has enacted 
right to counsel legislation. 
(3) PRIORITY.—In selecting applicants under 
this section, the Secretary shall prioritize funding 
for eligible entities that— 
(A) have enacted laws that— 
(i) limit the causes for which a land-
lord can evict a tenant or refuse to renew 
the lease of a tenant when the tenant is 
not at fault or in violation of any law; 
(ii) require adequate written notice 
periods of not less than 30 days for ten-
ants facing eviction; 
(iii) establish eviction diversion pro-
grams; or 
(iv) provide emergency rental assist-
ance to tenants; or 
(B) will prioritize using grant funds for 
the training and recruitment of attorneys to 
provide representation for covered individuals in 
a covered proceeding. 
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(4) USE OF FUNDS.—A recipient of a grant 
under this section may use the grant funds for the 
costs incurred by right to counsel legislation, includ-
ing providing training resources for attorneys rep-
resenting covered individuals in covered proceedings. 
Æ 
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