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Learn about Stay Housed LA and our mission

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About Stay Housed LA

Apply for Legal Help

Find a Workshop

Learn How Evictions Work

Resources

Learn how to defend yourself from eviction

Self-Help Eviction Defense

<h2>Before you begin</h2>Do you have an unlawful detainer (eviction lawsuit) filed against you?&nbsp;<ul><li>If YES – continue to fill out this form.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>If NO – please sign up for a workshop or clinic <a href="https://www.stayhousedla.org/workshops">here</a>.&nbsp;</li></ul>To be eligible for legal services:<ul><li>You MUST live in Los Angeles County. If you do not live in Los Angeles County, please check out our page about the <a href="https://www.stayhousedla.org/tenant-rights">eviction process</a>, which includes information about state law.&nbsp;</li><li>You must be low income.</li><li>You are more likely to get representation if you live in one of these <a href="https://www.stayhousedla.org/priority-zip-codes">zip codes</a>. SHLA does not yet have enough lawyers to represent all tenants in Los Angeles County. Therefore, we are prioritizing the most vulnerable communities.&nbsp;</li><li>Your immigration status does NOT matter. We represent documented and undocumented tenants.&nbsp;</li><li>You do not need to have a written lease.&nbsp;</li></ul>Stay Housed LA has limited staffing. We are not able to guarantee representation to every tenant who is income eligible, in a priority zip code, and completes an intake.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can still understand and protect your rights with other resources! For eviction self-help materials, visit our <a href="https://www.stayhousedla.org/self-help-eviction-defense">self-help page</a>. To attend a workshop and learn more about your rights, sign up <a href="https://www.stayhousedla.org/workshops">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;PLEASE do not enter multiple requests for legal services as this slows our team down. If you need additional services, please contact the legal server provider you already spoke to. Unfortunately, we cannot transfer clients to another legal service provider.&nbsp;<ul><li>The information you enter in this website will be shared between the organizations that make up Stay Housed LA, the County of Los Angeles, and their third party evaluator.&nbsp;</li><li>No attorney-client relationship is formed by filling out this website form.&nbsp;</li></ul>If you need assistance applying for legal services, call the Stay Housed LA hotline at 1-888-694-0040.&nbsp;

Your address is in Los Angeles County. Click next to continue.

Your address is not in Los Angeles County. Stay Housed LA only serves residents of Los Angeles County.

The Notice to Vacate is the last step in a legal eviction process. Have you gotten a Notice to Vacate?
<img alt="Notice to vacate" src="eviction-notice.png" />

You were served a &ldquo;Summons&rdquo; and a &ldquo;Complaint-Unlawful Detainer&rdquo;. They are usually served together. This is the eviction lawsuit.
<div class="flex flex-row"><img alt="Summons - Unlawful detainer-eviction" src="summons-page1.jpg" /><img alt="Summons - Unlawful detainer-eviction" src="summons-page2.jpg" /></div>

<h2>Income Eligibility Information</h2>

Please input information about your income to determine whether you are eligible for free legal services.

Thank you for reaching out to Stay Housed LA

Unfortunately, tenants who do not have an active eviction case or do not meet our income requirements are not eligible for legal representation through Stay Housed LA.

However, anyone can attend an educational event where we provide information about the eviction process and your rights as a tenant in Los Angeles County.

See the workshops below that are relevant to you. If you want to have a one-on-one conversation with a legal professional, make sure to sign up for a clinic.

Based on the information you provided, you are eligible for free legal services.

Please fill out the form below to be connected with a legal service provider and a community-based organization in your area.

Contact Information

By selecting &quot;text&quot; as a preferred method of contact, you agree to receive text messages from Stay Housed LA. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies.

Apply for free legal services to help with eviction in Los Angeles County. 

Sign Up for Update

Stay Connected

Join us to learn more about how to respond to requests for discovery and tenants' rights in the city of Los Angeles! In addition to providing general information on tenants' rights, this presentation will answer three important questions: how do I respond to discovery? What are the consequences if I don't respond? How do my responses effect my case? This presentation is for renters in the city of Los Angeles.

City of Los Angeles

Discovery Response and Tenants' Rights Clinic

Know Your Rights

Discovery Response

This clinic is to provide walk-in support for your questions about your rights as a tenant, to help you better understand your rights and what legal options may be available to you. In addition to answering your questions, we can also assist you in preparing and filing your Answer to an Unlawful Detainer (eviction lawsuit). 

County of Los Angeles

Tenants' Rights and Answer Clinic (Housing Rights Center)

Answer Clinic

Join us to learn more about general tenant protections for City and County of LA. We'll cover rent debt, tenant harassment, and the eviction process. 

City and County of LA: Know Your Rights In-Person Workshop hosted by LACAN with LAFLA

If you did not qualify for a StayHoused LA Lawyer, this workshop is essential for you. Join the EDN Tenant Empowerment Program and learn how to prepare your case so that we can step in to represent you once a judge is assigned. 

Be a TEP Pro - Preparing your case for victory (Hosted by Eviction Defense Network)

Tenant Empowerment Program

Join us to learn more about your rights as a renter in Los Angeles County! This presentation is a bilingual Spanish workshop to prepare you for the eviction process. 

Tenant Empowerment Program (TEP): Hosted by Eviction Defense Network

Join this workshop to learn more about renters’ rights in the City of Los Angeles. We’ll cover Rent Control Protections, habitability issues, the eviction process, and what to do if your landlord is harassing you.

City of Los Angeles Tenants Rights Thursday Workshop-Hosted by Coalition for Economic Survival (CES)

Habitability

Harassment

Just Cause Protections

Either side in an eviction case can ask the other side to identify all of the facts they intend to prove as well as all of the witnesses and other evidence they have.  It happens in about 25% of the cases. This is called Discovery.  The moment you get papers with the words: "Interrogatories," "Admissions," and "Production of Documents", sign up for this workshop so we can teach you how to respond.  This workshop is in English and Spanish. 

How to respond to Discovery (Hosted by Eviction Defense Network)

This workshop will help you understand your rights as a tenant after the January 2025 wildfire disaster in Los Angeles County and where to turn for help if you believe your rights as a tenant are being violated.

Tenants' Rights After a Disaster

The Wildfire Tenant Support Clinic offers free housing related legal advice for wildfire impacted renters. This is an in-person walk-in clinic at La Pintoresca Library at 1335 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. 

Visit innercitylaw.org or call (213) 891-2880 to confirm clinic date and location. 

View Info

Wildfire Support Tenant Clinic Hosted by Inner City Law Center

Join us for an online workshop to learn more about your rights as a tenant in the County of Los Angeles.

County of Los Angeles:  Know Your Rights Workshop (ACCE)

Join us to learn how to assemble your trial and exhibit binders for court. This presentation is a bilingual Spanish workshop to prepare you for the eviction process. 

How to Assemble your Trial Binder: Hosted by Eviction Defense Network

Get help with using the Tenant Power Toolkit, an online resource that lets tenants create an answer (and other early paperwork) for their eviction case. Attendees will only get assistance with using the Toolkit to respond to their eviction - you cannot get legal representation or help with other issues at this workshop. The Answer Tool can also be used at any time by tenants on their own at https://tools.debtcollective.org. 

Register Now

Tenant Power Toolkit: In-Person Answer Workshop at the LA Law Libary

Join us to learn more about how to prepare for a trial and negotiate a settlement in an Unlawful Detainer! There will be a presentation that will let you know what to expect on your trial date, how you should prepare for your trial date, and what you should consider when negotiating a settlement. This clinic is for renters in the City of Los Angeles with active Unlawful Detainers.

Trial Prep and Settlement Negotiation Clinic

Eviction Trial Prep

Settlement Negotiation

City of Los Angeles Tenants Rights Monday Workshop-Hosted by Coalition for Economic Survival (CES)

Get help with using the Tenant Power Toolkit, an online resource that lets tenants create an answer (and other early paperwork) for their eviction case. Attendees will only get assistance with using the Toolkit to respond to their eviction -- you cannot get legal representation or help with other issues at this workshop. The Answer Tool can also be used at any time by tenants on their own.

Tenant Power Toolkit: In-Person Answer Workshop at the Vernon Branch Library

Join us for the Eviction Trial Prep workshop, open to tenants in Los Angeles County. We will review the eviction process, trial, settlement, and how to gather and present evidence. This workshop is for people who have received a summons and complaint who do not have legal representation
//
Únase a nosotres para el taller de preparación para el juicio de desalojo, abierto a inquilines en el condado de Los Ángeles. Revisaremos el proceso de desalojo, el juicio, el acuerdo, y cómo reunir y presentar pruebas. Este taller es para personas que han recibido citatorio y denuncia que no cuentan con representación legal



LA COUNTY EVICTION TRIAL PREP WORKSHOP  //  TALLER DE PREPARACIÓN PARA EL JUICIO DE DESALOJO DEL CONDADO DE LOS ÁNGELES

En Español - Únase a nosotros en un taller en línea para aprender más sobre sus derechos como inquilino en la ciudad de Los Ángeles.

Ciudad de Los Ángeles: Taller Conozca Sus Derechos (ACCE)

Empower yourself by roleplaying the speeches we teach for the scenarios you will face in court. This presentation is a bilingual Spanish workshop to prepare you for the eviction process. 

How to be Effective in Court - Role Playing with your opponent and your judge: Hosted by Eviction Defense Network

City and County of LA: Know Your Rights Virtual/ In-Person Workshop hosted by LACAN with LAFLA

This workshop covers the eviction process, including pre-trial preparation and settlement negotiation.

Eviction Pre-Trial & Settlement Negotiation Workshop

The Wildfire Tenant Support Clinic offers free housing related legal advice for wildfire impacted renters. This is an in-person walk-in clinic at Inner City Law Center at 1309 E 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021.

Visit innercitylaw.org or call (213) 891-2880 to confirm clinic date and location. 

Wildfire Tenant Support Clinic Hosted by Inner City Law Center

In-person legal clinic for tenants in the city of Los Angeles, Learn your rights as Tenants 

LA City: In- Person Tenant Rights Workshop Hosted by CBE in Collaboration with ICLC  

City of Los Angeles Tenants Rights Tuesday Workshop-Hosted by Coalition for Economic Survival (CES)

Join us to learn more about general tenant protections for LA City. We'll cover rent debt, the eviction process, and how StayHousedLA and SAJE can help you. This workshop is specific to City of Los Angeles, please register for our County of Los Angeles specific workshops if you do not live in the City of Los Angeles. / Únase con nosotros para obtener más información sobre las protecciones generales para inquilinos en la ciudad de Los Ángeles. Cubriremos la deuda de alquiler, el proceso de desalojo y cómo StayHousedLA y SAJE pueden ayudarlo. Este taller es específico de la ciudad de Los Ángeles; regístrese para nuestros talleres específicos del condado de Los Ángeles si no vive en la ciudad de Los Ángeles.


LA City: Know Your Rights In-Person Workshop/ Cuidad de L.A.: Taller en persona Conozca Sus Derechos. (SAJE & ICLC)) 

Our Tenants Know Your Rights Workshop will cover tenant protections at the state, county, and City of Long Beach levels, with a special focus on eviction and how to respond if you receive an eviction notice.

 



Long Beach Know Your Rights + Legal Clinic

Join us to learn more about general tenant protections for LA County. We'll cover the eviction process, rent increases, and tenant harassment. 

LA County: Know Your Rights Virtual Workshop hosted by East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice with Community Legal Aid SoCal

Join us for an in-person workshop to learn more about your rights as a tenant in the County of Los Angeles.  This workshop is lead in Spanish, but English translation will be available as well.  We will close out the event with a fun game of Tenant Loteria.

In-Person Tenant Know Your Rights Workshop & Loteria (Bilingual Spanish)

Join us for the Eviction Trial Prep workshop, open to tenants in Los Angeles County. We will review the eviction process, trial, settlement, and how to gather and present evidence. This workshop is for people who have received a summons and complaint who do not have legal representation
//
Únase a nosotres para el taller de preparación para el juicio de desalojo, abierto a inquilines en el condado de Los Ángeles. Revisaremos el proceso de desalojo, el juicio, el acuerdo, y cómo reunir y presentar pruebas. Este taller es para personas que han recibido citatorio y denuncia que no cuentan con representación legal
//
参加我们的驱逐庭审准备研讨会，该研讨会向洛杉矶县的租户开放。我们将复习驱逐程序、庭审、和解以及如何收集和出示证据。本研讨会适合收到传票和起诉书但没有法律代表的人
//
請來參加我們的驅逐案庭審準備講座，開放給洛杉磯縣的租戶參加。 講座將介紹驅逐程序、庭審、和解以及如何收集與出示證據。 本講座適合已收到傳票和訴狀，但沒有律師代理的人


LA COUNTY EVICTION TRIAL PREP WORKSHOP  //  TALLER DE PREPARACIÓN PARA EL JUICIO DE DESALOJO DEL CONDADO DE LOS ÁNGELES // 洛杉矶县驱逐庭审准备研讨会 // 洛杉磯縣驅逐案庭審準備講座

In-person legal clinic for tenants in the city of Los Angeles, with a focus on Council District 10. Clínica legal en persona para inquilinos en la ciudad de Los Ángeles, con un enfoque en el Distrito 10 del Consejo.

City of Los Angeles: In-Person Tenant Legal Clinic (ACCE)

This in-person clinic is to provide walk-in support for your questions about your rights as a tenant, to help you better understand your rights and what legal options may be available to you. Please bring your questions and any relevant paperwork.

Tenants' Rights Clinic (Housing Rights Center)

Join us to learn more about your rights as a renter in the county of Los Angeles. In this workshop you will learn about Tenant's rights what is left of the COVID-19 Emergency tenant protections, the eviction process & how Stay Housed LA can help.
