San Francisco Superior Court Adopts Default Remote Proceedings for Pre-trial Unlawful Detainer Proceedings

| By Lia Dun
Categories: eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News, Other
laptop with a pair glasses to the left, a binder with a gavel on top of it to the right, and a notebook in front of in front of it
On March 9, the San Francisco Superior Court issued an order creating a strong presumption that pre-trial hearings in unlawful detainer actions will all be held remotely, including via video or telephone, and providing for in-person appearances only where judges determine they can be done safely. Bay Area Legal Aid and co-counsel had previously sent …

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Mélody Saint-Saëns Featured on CABE Whittier Podcast

| By Lia Dun
Categories: Attorneys, eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News, Other
recording microphone
Mélody Saint-Saëns, BayLegal’s Immigration Regional Counsel, was featured on the CABE (California Associate for Bilingual Education) Whittier podcast on March 19. Melody was part of a group of attorneys who spoke on the topic of the Socio-Legal Framework for Violence Against Women in Spain, Peru, and the USA. Melody spoke about federal and state laws …

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Hilda Chan Receives 2021 Legal Aid Association of California Award of Merit

| By Lia Dun
Categories: Attorneys, eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News
gold laurel
We are pleased to announce that Hilda Chan, a BayLegal Supervising Attorney, received the 2021 Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC) Award of Merit in the Legal Services category. Hilda was recognized for her tireless advocacy on behalf of low-income communities in the Bay Area in 2020. Hilda’s work includes direct services, advocacy, and impact …

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Executive Director’s Blog, March 2021

| By Lia Dun
Categories: Advocacy, eNewsletter Story, Executive Director blog, Homepage, News
Genevieve Richardson, Executive Director
Dear friends of Bay Area Legal Aid, The lives taken from us over a full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the hugely disproportionate share of trauma and loss that has fallen to low-income families, Black families, Indigenous families, other families of color, and immigrant families—these demand that we enter the second year of the …

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New Resource for Youth Advocates: Ensuring Stability and Success for Youth Tenants in THP-Plus

| By BayLegal
Categories: eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News, Publication, Resources
Bay Area Legal Aid is pleased to announce the publication of Ensuring Stability And Success For Youth Tenants In THP Plus. Co-authored by advocates from the Youth Law Center and Britt Harwood of BayLegal’s Youth Justice team, this resource is intended to help advocates improve housing stability and ongoing access to supportive services for their …

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SB 91 Extends State Eviction Protections

| By BayLegal
Categories: eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News
Gavel And Small Model House On Wooden Table
As of February 1st, the new law SB 91 temporarily extends California’s state-wide eviction protections, including protection eviction for nonpayment of rent and preservation of just-cause rights, to all  covered tenants until July 1, 2021. Tenants must still pay at least 25% of their rent during this extended repayment period through June 30, 2021. A …

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A Special Thank You to Our Supporters in the Private Bar

| By Lia Dun
Categories: eNewsletter Story, Fundraising, Homepage, News, Recognition
a scale in which both sides are equal
During these challenging times, BayLegal’s law firm donors are crucial in allowing us to continue protecting our clients’ fundamental rights to housing, healthcare, safety, and economic stability. We want to especially thank the Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation, whose campaign kick-off donation every January provides indispensable momentum for our law firm fundraising. This year …

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BayLegal’s 2020 Annual Campaign Launches: A Note from Our Executive Director

| By BayLegal
Categories: Announcements, eNewsletter Story, Executive Director blog, Fundraising, Homepage, News
Genevieve Richardson, Executive Director
Dear friends and supporters of Bay Area Legal Aid,   As we launch BayLegal’s 2020 Annual Campaign, I am so grateful that with your support we are able to address the critical needs of our clients.  As the public health and economic stresses intensify and deepen our clients face increased housing instability, exposure to predatory lending …

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Bay Area Legal Aid Reaches Settlement to Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence

| By Lia Dun
Categories: Attorneys, Client Story, eNewsletter Story, Homepage, Litigation, News
This fall, Bay Area Legal Aid reached a final settlement in a lawsuit filed in 2019 to compel the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to fulfill its legal and ethical responsibilities to survivors of domestic violence. The lawsuit was filed in response to SFPD’s long-term failure to comply with California Family Code § 6228, a …

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BayLegal’s Systems Advocacy During the Pandemic: An Overview and Update

| By BayLegal
Categories: Advocacy, eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News
group of lawyers or corporate businessmen and businesswomen crossing two cliffs with the help of a justice scale acting as a bridge to legal services
Our expertise in advocating for clients’ individual legal needs while simultaneously identifying and pursuing opportunities for broader systemic change has been critical in response to the pandemic. I hope you will read more about our specific advocacy initiatives since the world changed in March 2020 and anticipated needs – it is because of your support that we are able to …

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Advocating for Low-Income Latinx Consumers Against Aggressive Collection Practices

| By BayLegal
Categories: eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News
| Tags: ,
Rubber stamp with the text past due over an invoice document
An August 2nd investigative story by Raheem Hosseini in The Guardian puts a spotlight on the scale and depth of debt burden facing low-income primarily Latinx consumers in California through the practices of a single company. Oportun Inc emerges in the investigation as “one of the most litigious debt collectors in California,” with its high-interest …

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Bay Area Families Continue to Face Eviction Threat During the Pandemic

| By BayLegal
Categories: eNewsletter Story, Homepage, News
| Tags: ,
Gavel And Small Model House On Wooden Table
This August 3rd KPIX story by Susie Steimle profiles one family’s struggle with eviction, and the housing insecurity still facing many low-income Bay Area families during the COVID-19 pandemic. BayLegal attorney Jia Min Cheng is quoted, reminding tenants to seek legal advice before moving out. Throughout the pandemic, BayLegal has worked to advocate in regional …

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