Investigating the Impact of Kansas City’s Tenant Right to Counsel Program on Eviction Court Outcomes

Many jurisdictions across the US have passed and implemented tenant right to counsel (RTC) laws; however, there is limited empirical evidence on their impact outside of New York City. This study investigates the impact of Kansas City’s tenant RTC program, launched in June 2022, on eviction court outcomes. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) design, we compare eviction case outcomes in Kansas City with those in neighboring municipalities before and after the program’s implementation. Our analysis shows that the implementation of the RTC program has reduced the probability of default judgment as well as the probability of eviction judgment. Despite expanded capacity, legal service providers remain insufficiently staffed to meet the high demand for representation, highlighting the need for more funding and resources in tenant legal services. This research contributes to the understanding of RTC laws’ broader impacts and underscores the necessity for eviction prevention methods beyond RTC for comprehensive tenant protection.

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Citation Details: Wang, Y., McMurtry, C., & Han, H.-S. (2026). Investigating the impact of Kansas City’s tenant right to counsel program on eviction court outcomes. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2026.2658609