Dear Law Foundation Supporter,
The past year has continued to be difficult for so many of us as we adjust our lives to the reality of a longer pandemic.
With so much uncertainty, what we do know is that COVID and its economic impact still disproportionately affect our client communities–our unhoused neighbors, communities of color, and working-class families, many of whom have carried us through this pandemic as essential workers.
Though it’s been a tough year, we are grateful for a few things: the resiliency of our clients in the face of extreme circumstances, our community partners and volunteers who use their expertise to help us reach even more people across our region, the incredible dedication of our staff, and you–our supporters who help make our work possible.
With your continued support, we’re able to help families like the Gonzalezes who were suddenly faced with the possibility of needing to find a new home in the middle of a pandemic.
Rosa* raised her two daughters in a rental property in downtown San José that they called home for over 20 years. Rosa’s daughters had started college and moved closer to school, but returned home when COVID hit, like many other students. The family felt safe, secure, and stable in their home until Rosa began to ask for needed repairs.
During an inspection of the property to address the repairs, the landlord spotted Rosa’s two teenage daughters. Adamant that Rosa’s daughters were now unauthorized guests in the home since they were over the age of 18, the landlord demanded additional fees and deposits.
Rosa was stunned to learn that she would be charged $9,000 in new fees and her rent would go from $1,905 per month to $2,250 per month, an 18% increase. Although Rosa was fortunate to remain steadily employed during the pandemic, such a sharp increase in rent would make it nearly impossible for her to make ends meet and provide for her daughters.
She knew what was happening to her and her family wasn’t right so she called the Law Foundation.
Our community advocates get calls like Rosa’s every day from people across Silicon Valley needing someone in their corner to help fight injustices that can have life-changing consequences.
For Rosa and her family, leaving their home would mean leaving their community. “We love it here. We feel safe here being that we have been here for so long,” she told us.
When Rosa called us with her urgent need, our community advocate quickly stepped into action and explained housing laws and tenant protections that safeguarded Rosa’s family. Our advocate sent a letter to the landlord explaining that the proposed 18% increase in rent was unlawful and the two teens didn’t need to submit additional deposits that they couldn’t afford.
Rosa and her family can now rest easy knowing that the place they’ve called home for 20 years will continue to be a place of refuge in these difficult times. The family feels empowered to know their housing rights and is sharing those rights with neighbors who may be in need.
Now that the eviction ban has ended, many more families will need our help in the next year.
Your support helped us quickly mobilize to advocate for families and individuals across our community facing life-changing legal issues during the height of the pandemic– but many more of our neighbors are still facing urgent needs.
Please make a tax-deductible donation to the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley today. Your investment means more families will get to stay in their homes, more individuals will get access to the healthcare they need, and more children and youth will get the support they need when dealing with serious issues like neglect or abuse.
Thank you for your continued investment towards building a more equitable and just Silicon Valley. We are grateful to have you on our side.
With gratitude,
Alison Brunner, Esq.
CEO
*Name changed to protect identity.