ALRP & Eviction Defense Collaborative Co-Sponsor Subway Ad Campaign
April 7, 2025
Last week, ads promoting the importance of the Tenant Right to Counsel (TRC) program went up in San Francisco’s Van Ness and Civic Center subway stations. Paid for by ALRP and the Eviction Defense Collaborative, the ads are part of a larger campaign to educate the public and San Francisco policymakers about how effective and cost-efficient the TRC program is in preventing homelessness.
During the past fiscal year, the TRC collaborative of nine organizations had a 93% success rate in the eviction lawsuits it handled. By keeping 1,539 households from being thrown on the street, the program saved taxpayers over $66 million that would otherwise have been incurred to provide shelter beds and pay for ambulance runs, emergency room visits, and other costs. ALRP was responsible for 167 (11%) of those wins.
Clearly, the return on investment is compelling: Every dollar invested in the TRC program saves San Francisco nearly $9.
We want to be sure everyone understands that cutting funding for TRC would be fiscally irresponsible, even while San Francisco is facing unprecedented financial challenges.
Sadly, the program is needed now more than ever before: In January and February, eviction lawsuits were up 57% over the same period last year, the highest number in the last 12 years.