The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project (http://cedproject.org/) is a collaborative, community legal project with a mission to provide Coloradans facing eviction during the COVID-19 crisis with information and support across the state. The project grew out of the realization that closing businesses and sending workers home to stop the spread of the coronavirus would leave a large portion of Colorado’s population without income and unable to pay rent. The organization aims both to enact legislative protections for those who have been unable to pay rent due to the pandemic, and to pair tenants facing eviction with volunteer attorneys. As state and federal protections have expired, many tenants are facing eviction proceedings with no one to guide them through the process.
We are always seeking volunteer attorneys to represent tenants facing imminent eviction and to prevent evictions wherever possible. Eviction disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. While many of the tenants who reach out to us live in the Denver metro area, we see individuals from all over the state and have particular need for lawyers in southern Colorado and rural counties. We offer hour-long training sessions for all new volunteer attorneys, and are available to support and assist those who have little or no experience in landlord-tenant disputes. However, we welcome and appreciate lawyers with experience in the field! Interested lawyers can either fill out the intake form on our website (https://cedproject.org/volunteer/), and a member of our team will reach out to coordinate. If anyone has specific questions, they can email carey@cedproject.org.