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Renters rights

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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.

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

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)

SF Tenants Union[]

Tenants Together[]

  • Statewide coalition of local tenant organizations that supports formation of Tenants Unions
  • info@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[]

City of Oakland 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

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board[]

San Francisco Rent Board[]

Resource pages[]

Eviction Defense Center - Resources[]

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.
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