With the backing of Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved $4 million in funding for the Housing Legal Services Initiative that will provide assistance for low-income residents facing evictions.

“It would be cruel and irresponsible to ignore our growing eviction crisis,” Commissioner Ellis said. “We know that legal assistance is effective in keeping people housed, healthy and safe. Last year’s investment of $1 million in the Housing and Legal Services Initiative resulted in more than 3,400 renters receiving legal assistance.”

The county is using American Rescue Plan Act funds to make its largest investment toward eviction defense funds, said Commissioner Ellis, who praised his Policy team for spearheading this important initiative. Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, landlords have filed 110,000 eviction lawsuits in Harris County courts. A staggering 58,000 of those filings were made in 2022.

“These are families on the brink of homelessness,” Commissioner Ellis said. “The greatest predictor of an eviction is the presence of a child in the household.”

In 2021, the county invested $1 million used by three legal aid organizations – Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston Volunteer Lawyers and South Texas College of Law – to provide eviction defense services.

“We have a chance to extend and expand the Housing Legal Services Initiative, and double down on our investment to increase housing stability of our constituents,” Commissioner Ellis said of the recent investment. “It’s my hope that this funding will increase housing stability.”