L.A. will continue to fund eviction defense program

"Tenant advocates feared that the new contract, which passed 12 to 1 and funds an initial portion of a three-year, $177-million contract, was under threat after City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto urged the council to reconsider it in a confidential memo last week. Feldstein Soto said she had concerns about awarding such a large contract to Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, which frequently sues the city over homelessness issues."

"Legal Aid is the main legal service provider under the Stay Housed L.A. contract, which also funds Southern California Housing Rights Center for short-term emergency rental assistance, Liberty Hill Foundation for tenant outreach and Strategic Actions for a Just Economy to protect tenants from harassment."

"Feldstein Soto, who is running for reelection, said in a statement that her office wanted to make sure the city wasn't giving a 'blank check' to Legal Aid without requiring detailed reporting of finances and outcomes. 'The eviction defense program is a city program and is in zero jeopardy,' she said."

The Los Angeles City Council voted 12 to 1 to fund Stay Housed L.A., an eviction defense program launched in 2021 that provides legal representation and services to thousands of renters facing eviction. The council approved initial funding for a three-year, $177-million contract. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto had urged reconsideration due to concerns about awarding such a large contract to Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, which frequently sues the city over homelessness issues. Legal Aid serves as the main legal provider, while other organizations handle rental assistance, tenant outreach, and harassment protection. The council chose a shorter funding period with extension options rather than the full three-year commitment. Legal Aid maintains its lawsuits are unrelated to its eviction defense work.

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