The Housing Monitor leverages existing legislation in place, both in Lebanon and internationally, to safeguard housing rights for different communities and offer tailored support. In collaboration with Public Work’s team of urbanists and architects, RTHLTF encompasses a group of lawyers that think in multidisciplinary terms to develop tools and strategies that democratize access to legal knowledge, advance city dwellers’ housing rights, impact litigation and advocate for a fair housing policy.
More specifically, the RTHLTF drafts legal memos, provides tailored legal assistance, conducts negotiations and presents strategic legal cases to court. The work of the RTHLTF is linked to constant monitoring and interpretation of laws and court decisions affecting housing rights. It also operates through partnerships and in collaboration with other organizations containing legal departments.
Seeking to assess threats to eviction and the legality of the eviction process, the task force is dedicated to activating the power of the law to prevent forced evictions from taking place.
Over the past 3 years, following the multi-layered housing crisis Lebanon has been facing, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and the port blast, the RTHLTF worked diligently to: a) develop a series of recommendations that supported housing loans holders and tenants to know their rights b) strengthen the position of dozens of families and individuals facing eviction threats c) mitigate between landlords and tenants d) develop defense strategies for similar or connected threats e) and defend city dwellers in court.
In short, the RTHLTF seeks to expand venues for the realization of the right to adequate housing and propose changes to the existing dominant model on how housing rights are legally defended.
The task force is constantly seeking lawyers and legal experts to join it. If you are interested in volunteering with the RTHLTF, as a member you will perform the following:
- Attend bi-weekly meetings to discuss legal strategies for cases received to the Housing Monitor;
- Follow up on some cases with legal assistance and representation, through providing legal counseling over the phone, and/or handling negotiations between tenants and landlords;
- Legal research and the drafting of legal memos;
- Field visits and group counselling;
- Representation and assistance in court and other legal institutions;
- Contribute to advocacy strategies and initiatives.
Members of the legal task force are mainly volunteer legal experts and lawyers committed to advance housing rights in Lebanon, however, legal interventions performed by the members will be symbolically re-numerated.