L.A. will continue to fund eviction defense program

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A dispute over the city of Los Angeles’ eviction defense program came to an end Tuesday when the City Council approved millions of dollars in funding for the next 15 months.The program, Stay Housed L.A., started in 2021 and provides thousands of renters with legal representation in eviction proceedings as well as other services.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.The city’s Housing Department had recommended a three-year contract, but the council opted for a shorter period that can be extended.Legal Aid has argued that its lawsuits against the city are unrelated to its eviction defense work under the Stay Housed L.A.

contract.“We are very relieved that our services can continue uninterrupted,” said Barbara Schultz, director of housing justice for Legal Aid, in an interview after the vote.

California The City Council was set to vote last week on a $177-million contract for Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and other groups to continue representing tenants.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 ev...