Santa Monica City Attorney Offers Free Legal Aid to Tenants

The Santa Monica City Attorney’s office has begun a pilot “Right to Counsel” program that is available to Santa Monica tenant households whose income is at or below 80% of the Los Angeles County Area Medium Income and that are facing eviction by their landlord.

The pilot program includes a contract with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, a non-profit legal aid firm for low-income residents, to provide eviction defense services. Under the program, qualified renters facing eviction may be represented for virtually any “at-fault” or “no-fault” cause of eviction, including for lease breaches where the landlord has asserted a tenant has conducted criminal activities on property or destroyed property in addition to payment defaults.

According to Santa Monica City Attorney, George Cardona, his office, and the City are attempting to create a “level playing field” for tenants at risk of eviction. After more than a year of eviction moratoriums, rent freezes and, for many, uncollected rent, it is difficult to fathom how this initiative could possibly “level the playing field” unless the field with just landlords is being leveled in just a vertical position.