HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

We spend most of our time at ICLC advocating on behalf of clients regarding housing issues. A major focus of our effort is seeking judicial remedies to have a court compel the landlord to bring buildings  up to code, and working with landlords who unlawfully attempt to evict tenants.

Habitability Litigation

Inner City Law Center has substantial expertise with forcing slumlords to fix up their buildings and to compensate our clients who have suffered physically and emotionally from unsafe, unsanitary, and dangerous housing conditions.

We receive referrals about substandard buildings from many sources, including other non-profit organizations, city agencies, and current and former clients. Our staff assess the level of problems, establish relationships with the tenants of these buildings, and help to identify and cultivate potential tenant leaders as well as potential clients.

Before a case is filed, ICLC advocates and legal staff work with landlords to encourage them to voluntarily repair their buildings. Our longstanding relationships with the LA Housing Department and City Attorney’s Office are crucial to our ability to encourage landlords to voluntarily bring their buildings up to code.

When landlords fail to comply with their legal obligations to repair their buildings, ICLC’s legal team often steps in and files a lawsuit on behalf of the tenants. Although ICLC attempts to settle these cases, ICLC is always prepared to go to trial, often with pro bono assistance from our Board of Directors.

Eviction Prevention

With skyrocketing property prices and increasing rents, some landlords would like to evict their current tenants and charge higher rents (or convert their rental properties to condominiums). Our staff assists individuals and families facing imminent eviction. As with our larger habitability cases, our staff first tries to amicably resolve the issue between the tenant and the landlord. Our advocacy staff is very familiar with the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance, and often these cases can be resolved favorably for our clients simply by educating the landlord about the requirements of the Ordinance. But, when necessary, the ICLC legal team will go to trial to defend our clients against unlawful evictions and to keep families in their homes, or to obtain legally mandated relocation assistance.

The Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP)

The Los Angeles Housing Department places certain sub-standard buildings into its Rent Escrow Account Program. By providing rent reductions and allowing tenants to pay this reduced rent into an escrow account which can only be used to make repairs or relocate tenants, REAP encourages landlords to repair their buildings. Under a contract with the city, ICLC advocates and tenant organizers visit properties in REAP to advise the tenants of their rights and to explain the benefits of participating in the program.