Nonprofit Protection Project Expands to San Mateo County

Free legal consultations, trainings, and resources now available to nonprofits serving San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties

Media Contact: Communications, communications@lawfoundation.org 

SAN JOSÉ, CA – The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley today announced that its Nonprofit Protection Project (NPP) has expanded to serve nonprofits in San Mateo County, effective November 1. Since launching in October 2025, the NPP has offered free legal support to Santa Clara County nonprofits facing questions raised by executive orders, federal policy changes, and governance and compliance issues. Thanks to new support from Silicon Valley Community Foundation, San Mateo County nonprofits can now get the same help. 

In its first year, the NPP served 55 unique nonprofit organizations and answered more than 100 legal questions in a broad range of areas, from contract and compliance matters to strategic advice. More than half of its clients came back with additional issues. 

“Nonprofits in San Mateo County face the same shifting legal landscape as their neighbors in Santa Clara County, and many have limited budgets for legal advice they can trust. Our first year showed that timely legal help keeps organizations focused on the people they serve,” said Alison Brunner, Chief Executive Officer of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley. 

“Nonprofits told us they need a reliable place to turn when legal questions come up, and more than half came back to us with new issues. We are delighted to welcome San Mateo County organizations, and we look forward to connecting with the law firms and attorneys who can help us serve them, said Brooke Heymach, Directing Attorney for Pro Bono at the Law Foundation. 

“Nonprofits are on the front lines of serving community members, and they need dependable legal support to keep doing that work. We are proud to support the Law Foundation in bringing the Nonprofit Protection Project to San Mateo County,” said Will Aubin, Senior Community Impact and Policy Officer at Silicon Valley Community Foundation. 

The Nonprofit Protection Project provides: 

One-on-one pro bono consultations and limited-scope representation, up to 10 hours per organization, on corporate, governance, and compliance questions, including those raised by executive orders and federal policy changes. 

Trainings on legal and governance topics, open to any organization, with a focus on reaching nonprofit professionals in both counties. 

Free online resources, including checklists, a listing of common filings, a flow chart of common legal issues, and informational guides on audits and investigations, and are available for any interested organization. 

Nonprofits that are legally incorporated as 501(c)(3) organizations, have less than $10 million in annual support, and are located in or serve Santa Clara County or San Mateo County may apply for a consultation. Capacity for consultations is limited. Trainings and online resources are open to any organization, wherever it is located. To apply or to browse the free resources, visit lawfoundation.org/nonprofitprotectionproject. 

The expansion to San Mateo County was made possible by support from Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The NPP launched in 2025 with generous support from Sobrato Philanthropies and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. 

San Jose Renters Rally at City Hall to Launch Healthy Homes San Jose

San Jose renters, tenant rights organizers, and community organizations held a press conference in front of San Jose City Hall to protest the long-standing habitability issues that renters face in the most expensive city in America; calling for the City Council to take action and strengthen Code Enforcement’s Multiple Housing Inspection Program.

SAN JOSE – Monday, October 19, 2026 at 10:00AM, renters from across San Jose held a press conference in front of City Hall to launch the Healthy Homes San Jose campaign calling on City officials to strengthen Code Enforcement with key recommendations highlighted in the “Healthy Homes San Jose”. They will be supported by the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, LUNA, and RTO and numerous other tenant rights community organizations. This comes after many tenants have collectively filed code complaints to the city to address the egregious health and safety violations in their buildings, including plagues of rat and roach infestations, persistent mold growth, and vandalized mailboxes. Tenants have had enough of the city of San Jose turning a blind eye to negligent landlords who blatantly violate basic health and safety laws.

Healthy Homes White Paper Highlights Gap in the Code Enforcement Department

The “Healthy Homes San Jose” states that the city’s Code Enforcement’s Multiple Housing Inspection Program (MHIP), have failed to hold landlords accountable for poor housing conditions causing tenants to live in hazardous conditions without any relief in sight.

“For the past three years, there has only been 1 penalty amongst the 23,000 documented housing code violations. This is an insufficient system that lacks enforcement and enables a culture of unsafe and undignified living standards for San Jose renters.” - Cindy Tran, tenant organizer at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley

Slum Conditions Detrimental Impact to Tenant’s Livelihood

Nayeli Fonseca, a mother of three children, has been at her unit for 10 years and experienced persistent issues such as high humidity, poor ventilation and roach infestations that have impacted her and her neighbors. The pervasive mold issues cause detriment to her children’s health.

“The hardest thing for me was seeing my daughter, who was only a year and a half old, suffer. The mold affected her health; she developed infections in her adenoids and tonsils, and had respiratory problems. My daughter had to undergo surgery.” - Nayeli Fonseca, San Jose renter

Kimberly McWilliams and her spouse Eric, live in a rent-controlled building where many of their neighbors are veterans. Eric, a former Marines veteran, receives a specialized HUD-Vash voucher designed to prevent veteran homelessness. As a voucher recipient, he must promptly comply with the program’s income recertification requirements to avoid losing his subsidy. Their landlord failed to repair the vandalized mailbox on the property, which almost caused Eric to lose his voucher.

“Can you imagine not getting mail for 7 months? We didn’t even get our letter to recertify with the veteran supportive housing program in time, and we almost lost our voucher.” – Kimberly McWilliams, San Jose renter

San Jose Renters Unite for Healthy Homes and Call for Stronger, Effective Enforcement

Tired of living in slum conditions in one of the most expensive cities in the country, the San Jose renters have united to fight for Healthy Homes in San Jose. Multiple buildings and tenants have filed individual complaints from their apartment complex to call for effective City intervention.

“We need to strengthen the Code Enforcement department so that it can effectively address our complaints, inspect our homes, and ensure that landlords make the necessary repairs…Our children deserve to grow up without their health being at risk in their own homes.”

Beyond the administrative reform and accessibility of the City’s Code Enforcement Multiple Housing Inspection Program and case transparency, the Healthy Homes San Jose calls for streamlined fines, fees, and penalties against landlords who violate housing codes and a more effective Appeals Hearing Board specifically for the Multiple Housing Inspection Department.

“Where is [the rent] money going if the landlord is failing to maintain their homes? What is the city doing if no fines and penalties are being implemented?” - Gabriel Manrique, community organizer at LUNA

The members of the Healthy Homes San Jose campaign invited San Jose City Council members to join the movement and strengthen the City’s Code Enforcement department. San Jose renters facing any housing issues and want to connect can also text (669) 235-7334 to learn more.

California Supreme Court Clarifies Limits of Court Enforcement Under Public Records Act

SAN JOSE, CA — The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley secured a landmark decision ensuring government agencies are held accountable when they improperly withhold materials essential to public accountability. The Supreme Court of California today published its decision in City of Gilroy v. Superior Court , a case addressing the people’s right to access public records under the California Public Records Act (CPRA). This case represents a significant victory for government transparency and accountability.

The case arises from public records requests related to sweeps of homeless encampments in the City of Gilroy, which resulted in the destruction of personal property. The requests sought Gilroy Police Department’s bodycam footage. Gilroy resisted disclosure of this information by asserting blanket objections, not being forthcoming on the records it had and then destroying the documents.

The Court ruled that declaratory relief is available to enforce the public’s right to public records, particularly when a court declaration would resolve a dispute about the parties’ rights and obligations that is likely to affect future governmental conduct. Stated more simply, the Court ruled that Courts can hold government agencies accountable for failure to provide important information even when the documents no longer exist.

“Government work is the people’s business. When it is carried out without visibility or oversight, vulnerable communities too often pay the price. This is apparent now more than ever. This decision is a big win for advocates seeking to protect the public interest,” said Alison Brunner, Esq., CEO of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley.

Neel Chatterjee, a longtime member of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Board of Directors, argued the case before the Supreme Court as pro bono co-counsel with King & Spalding. He shared, “We are grateful that the Supreme Court found that government agencies cannot escape accountability simply because they destroyed the records. We are looking forward to the next stage of the litigation.”

“The Court’s decision strongly supports our ability to fully investigate government entities for instances of discrimination against the disability community,” shared Disability Rights Advocates attorney Thomas Zito.

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and its partners encourage lawmakers, advocates, and community members to work together to strengthen California’s public records laws and ensure meaningful accountability when government transparency is violated. The Supreme Court also found that duties to preserve documents during the pendency of a public records act request do not exist and that the duty to preserve must be created through a legislative solution.

The Law Foundation was represented by Disability Rights Advocates, King & Spalding, and Goodwin Procter and is grateful for their assistance in this groundbreaking matter.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

• Law Foundation of Silicon Valley: A nonprofit legal aid organization focused on housing, health, and children’s rights issues and advocacy.

• Disability Rights Advocates: A nonprofit legal center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities nationally.

• King & Spalding: An international law firm with 26 offices worldwide.

• Goodwin Procter: A global law firm with 16 offices across North America, Europe, and Asia.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
communications@lawfoundation.org

Neel Chatterjee, King & Spalding
650-422-6708
nchatterjee@kslaw.com

Jessica Schnack, King & Spalding
jschnack@kslaw.com

Goodwin Procter
press@goodwinprocter.com

Thomas Zito, Disability Rights Advocates
tzito@dralegal.org