ACCESS Center of the Superior Court
Printed information in many languages; Spanish and English-speaking staff. Self-help, no attorneys available.
AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP)
English and Spanish. Can get interpreter for other languages. Services limited to individuals with HIV/AIDS. Direct representation and referrals to a panel of volunteer attorneys for landlord/tenant disputes.
Bay Area Legal Aid (BALA)
English, Chinese, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Eviction defense with emphasis on public and federally subsidized housing. Must have a good defense and all or most of the back rent.
Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP)
800-405-4HAP
Provides legal services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. May be able to provide attorneys for low-income tenants in eviction proceedings.
Department of Building Inspection
Do not contact if unit is illegal.
Housing Rights Committee (HRC)
Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Russian. Renters' rights counseling. Does not provide legal representation.
La Raza Centro Legal
Spanish speaking. Operates a Housing Clinic Wednesdays from 10 – 11 AM. Sliding scale fee. Must call for an appointment.
Lawyer Referral Services (LRS) of the Bar Association of San Francisco
For a referral to a private attorney, with a small initial consultation fee. Notify them that EDC has prepared a response to your unlawful detainer eviction case and that you need an attorney to represent you for the rest of the case.
Legal Assistance to the Elderly (LAE)
(415) 538-3333
Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, German. Free legal services and representation available to SF residents aged 60 and older. Assistance with evictions, rent control disputes, landlord problems, housing code violations, foreclosures, and subsidized housing. Call for appointment.
New College of Law Housing Advocacy Clinic
Housing Advocacy Clinic. Free advocacy counseling and legal representation for low-income tenants.
For telephone intake call between 9 AM – 12 PM.
Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board (Rent Board)
Spanish, Cantonese, Tagalog speaking. Illegal rent increases, rent decreases for habitability problems, eviction notices (other than non-payment) should be filed here. Investigates and prevents wrongful evictions. Tenant can check whether landlord has done previous evictions. Phone counselors available 9 AM – 12 AM; 1 PM – 4 PM.
St. Peter's Housing Committee (Comité de Vivienda San Pedro)
Spanish speaking. Free renter's rights counseling and advocacy.
San Francisco Tenants Union
Tenant counseling only. Publishes the San Francisco Tenant's Union handbook. Membership fee or contribution will be requested.
Tenderloin Housing Clinic
Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese speaking. Counseling and representation for downtown, South of Market, and residential hotel tenants. Some housing placement for people in PAES program. Modified Payment Program for SROs.