Renters rights

See: Shelter and housing

## Legal help and advocacy

#### **East Bay Community Law Center**

* EBCLC’s mission is to provide **free legal services** to the low-income community in Berkeley and the greater East Bay in the areas of housing, public benefits, immigration, HIV & health, youth justice, homeless rights, clean slate/criminal records remedies, consumer debt, and economic development. Eviction defense and housing habitability are the main areas of Renters' Rights that EBCLC does.
* 1950 University Avenue, Suite 200 (main office) and 2921 Adeline Street (satellite), Berkeley
* M-F 9AM - 5PM
* (510) 548-4040
* https://ebclc.org/

#### **Eviction Defense Center**

* The Eviction Defense Center provides **free legal services to residents** on a broad range of housing matters including substandard housing conditions, subsidized housing, rent increases, fair housing matters, and eviction defense.

* 350 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 703, Oakland, California 94612
* MTR  9:00 am-12:00 pm / 2:00 pm-5:00 pm
* WF  9:00 am - 12:00 pm / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
* (510) 452-4541
* https://www.evictiondefensecenteroakland.org/

#### **Causa Justa Just Cause**

* Provides tenants' rights information and Know Your Rights trainings for low-income residents of Oakland and San Francisco.
* Services available in English and Spanish
* 3022 International Boulevard, Suite 210, Oakland CA, 94601
	+ Please call the Tenants Rights Hotline: (510) 836-2687 (TENANTS)

* 2301 Mission Street, Suite 201, San Francisco 94110
	+ 415-487-9203
	+ Drop-in counseling - Monday and Friday: 1pm-5:00pm

* https://cjjc.org/

#### **Centro Legal de la Raza**

* Tenants' rights information and counseling from staff attorneys for low-income people.
* If you are an Alameda County tenant and have received a Summons for an Unlawful Detainer, or a Sherriff’s Final Notice to Vacate, please immediately call our office at: (510) 437-1554.
* Rapid Housing Questions & Referrals: All tenants arriving by 2:30 PM will receive a brief consultation with a Centro Legal staff member. An attorney will review each tenant’s situation, offer advice, and provide a referral to an extended services appointment, if necessary.
	+ For Oakland Tenants: **Monday at 2:30pm** at the Housing Resource Center, 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, 6th FL, Oakland, CA.
	+ For Alameda County (except Berkeley, Emeryville, and Albany) Tenants: **Tuesday** **at 2:30pm** or **Thursday at 9:00am** at Centro Legal de la Raza, 3022 International Blvd. #410, Oakland, CA.
* Know Your Rights Clinic (Hayward Tenants Only): Know Your Rights Presentations followed by attorney consultations for up to six low-income tenants.
	+ **Every** **4th Friday at 9:00am** at Hayward City Hall, 777 B Street, Hayward, CA.
* https://www.centrolegal.org/

## Tenant Unions

#### **Berkeley Tenants Union**

* Mail: 2022 Blake Street Berkeley, CA 94704
* info@berkeleytenants.org
* https://berkeleytenants.org
* Meeting information
	+ Monthly tenant counseling with professional tenant attorneys. **Requires sign-up.** See website for details.

#### **Oakland Tenants Union**

* Meeting information
	+ General Meetings 7:00-9:00 pm on the second Monday of each month (zoom)
	+ Virtual advice clinic 3:00-5:00 pm The 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month (zoom, register here)
	+ Oakland library advice clinic 3:00-5:00 pm The 1st Sundays of each month (register here)

* Mail: P.O. Box 10573 Oakland CA 94610
* (510) 704-5276 or help@OaklandTenantsUnion.org
* http://www.oaklandtenantsunion.org/

#### **SF Tenants Union**

* 558 Capp Street San Francisco, CA 94110
* (415) 282-6622
* https://www.sftu.org/

#### **Tenants Together**

* Statewide coalition of local tenant organizations that supports formation of Tenants Unions

* info@tenantstogether.org

* http://www.tenantstogether.org/

#### **Tenant and Neighborhood Councils**

* Organization based in Berkeley/Oakland/SF that facilitates and supports the creation of councils/unions, direct actions, meetings, and BBQs composed of tenants renting from the same landlord.
* General assemblies every last Sunday, 3:00 - 5:00pm at Omni Commons, 4799 Shattuck Ave, Oakland, CA in the Disco Room.
* Tenant Office Hours: Every Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm at 2940 West St., Oakland - Phone: (510) 671-5747
* East of Lake Office Hours: Sundays 11am-1pm at Hasta Muetre Coffee - 2701 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland
* tenantorganizingeastbay@gmail.com
* https://baytanc.com/

#### Tenant Support Program (TSP)

* **TSP** provides housing support services to people who are receiving mental health services in Alameda County from a contracted provider and have a past history of homelessness. Services include:
	+ shelter referrals
	+ access to current housing lists for seniors and low or no income people
	+ housing rights information
	+ assistance with Home Stretch deposit/furniture assistance application process
* The Tenant Support Program also holds weekly support groups.
* The TSP office is open Monday-Friday from 7am-3pm.
* 320 13th St, Ste #102, Oakland, CA 94612
* phone: (510) 594-1951
* email: tsp@peerwellnesscollective.org
* https://www.peerwellnesscollective.org/tenant-support-program

## City Government

#### **Berkeley Renters Rights**

* https://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=10808

#### **City of Oakland Tenant Protection Ordinance**

* https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/read-the-tenant-protection-ordinance

#### **City of Oakland Rent Adjustment Program (Rent Board)**

* Regulates how much landlords can raise rent in Oakland, must approve increases above 3.5% for rent controlled units and set hearings.

* Drop in hours located on 6th Floor in the Housing Resource Center, Suite 6301
* Mon: 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, Tues through Thurs: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

* (510) 238-3721

* https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/rent-adjustment-program

#### **San Francisco Rent Board**

* https://sfrb.org/landlord-tenant-information#general\_info

## Resource pages

#### **Eviction Defense Center - Resources**

* https://www.evictiondefensecenteroakland.org/classes-alt-layout

#### **Oakland Tenants Rights Handbook** (Updated 9/2018, new update coming soon)

* Highly informational handbook with info about Oakland tenant rights, evictions, subletting, rent increases, repairs, discrimination, collective action, and more.

* https://oaklandtenantsrightshandbook.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/oakland\_tenants\_rights\_handbook-9-3-2018.pdf