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Boilerplate: Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) provides legal assistance to low-income individuals and families in East Palo Alto and the surrounding community. Our practice areas include housing, immigration, and economic advancement. CLSEPA does not provide legal assistance with criminal matters.
In the News
How Trial by Skype Became the Norm in Immigration Court, PDF
by Lauren Markham, May/June 2018, Mother Jones
Is Menlo Park’s 12-Month Lease Policy Working?, PDF
by Kate Bradshaw, April 11, 2018, The Almanac
One family’s battle to stay in Menlo Park, PDF
by Kate Bradshaw, April 11, 2018, The Almanac
RHC majority pushes for extra rent increase, PDF
By Mark Noack, March 29, 2018, Mountain View Voice
Conflict Over Profits and Pricing at Del Medio Apartments, PDF
By Mark Noack, February 27, 2018, Mountain View Voice
Woodland Park Late Fee Class Action Notice || Equity Residential Late Fee Class Action Notice
Munguia-Brown, et al., v. Equity Residential, et al., Case No. 4:16-cv-01225-JSW-MEJ, December 4,2017
Facebook Founder’s Favor Comes with Complications, PDF
By Nellie Bowles, November 23, 2017, New York Times
Through Fannie Mae, US Taxpayers Provide Backing for some Rental Home Giants
By Stephanie Zimmerman, November 16, 2017, ABC News
174 Organizations Urge ORR and DHS to Release Rosa Maria Hernandez and Stop Removal, PDF
November 1, 2017, ACLU
The great Silicon Valley Land Grab, PDF
By Richard Watters, August 24, 2017, Financial Times
‘I can’t sleep’, PDF
By Samantha Weigel, August 18, 2017, Daily Journal
LISC to Manage Silicon Valley Affordable Housing Fund, PDF
by Elliot Schrage, August 3, 2017, Philanthropic News Digest
Fund manager hopes to quadruple Facebook’s $18.5 million housing fund, PDF
by Kevin Kelly, August 3, 2017, The Mercury News
Rent committee punts on tough questions, PDF
by Mark Noack, July 11, 2017, Mountain View Voice
Facebook is Building a “Mixed-Use Village” to Address Housing Affordability, PDF
by Jim Schaffer, July 10, 2017, Non Profit Quarterly
Rent increases, evictions up in immigrant communities under Trump, housing lawyers say, PDF
by Angela Hart, July 10, 2017, Sacramento Bee
Community Notebook: Palo Alto Community Fund gives largest grant total in its history, PDF
by Shawna Chen, June 29, 2017, Palo Alto Weekly
Contending With the Trump Regime’s New Immigration Practices: A Dispatch From the Trenches, PDF
By David Palumbo-Liu, June 25, 2017, Truthout
Defending Immigrants, PDF
by Beth Winegarner, May 31, 2017 SF Weekly
Protest over landlord’s massive rent increase, PDF
by Sue Dremann, May 19, 2017 Palo Alto Online
Market Rate Rents in San Mateo County Drive Out the Working Class, PDF
by Rachel Myrow, May 18, 2017, KQED News
Housing crisis causes legislative avalanche: 130 bills proposed in Sacramento, PDF
by Richard Sheinin, May 16, 2017, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Donors, recipients gather for Palo Alto Weekly’s Holiday Fund reception, PDF
by Palo Alto Weekly Staff/ Palo Alto Weekly, April 25, 2017, Palo Alto Online
East Palo Altans prepare for possible deportations, PDF
by Sue Dremann, April 21, 2017, Palo Alto Online
County may add money for housing: Advocates push for more, annual sales tax expenditures could rise from $15M to $25M, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, April 12, 2017, The Daily Journal
In Alameda County, a New Coalition Aims to Counter Deportations, PDF
by Bert Johnson, March 30, 2017, KQED
Unseen exploitation: More California landlords are threatening undocumented immigrants with eviction if they complain, say legal aid experts, PDF
by Scott Thomas Anderson, March 30, 2017, Sacramento News Review
FOIA Reveals Spotty Procedures in Immigration Courts, PDF
by Nicholas Iovino, March 29, 2017, Courthouse News Service
County to create legal defense fund for immigrants: Supervisors consider methods to support community in response to federal changes, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, March 29, 2017, The Daily Journal
How Safe Are DACA Recipients?, PDF
by Elena Shore, March 27, 2017, New America Media
Fate of DACA still uncertain despite immigration crackdown, PDF
by Christina Oriel, March 24, 2017, Dateline USA
Know Your Rights: Nevadans Prepare for Immigration Changes, PDF
by Suzanne Potter, March 24, 2017, Public News Service
Opinion: Why California should boost legal aid funding, PDF
by Bob Wieckowski and Selena Copeland, March 23, 2016, The Mercury News
County kicks in $3.5M for immigrant support, PDF
by Kevin Forestieri, March 16, 2017, Palo Alto Online
Step by step: Attorney Daniel Saver battles for affordable housing in Bay Area, PDF
by Richard Scheinin, March 9, 2017, The Mercury News
Inside Immigration Court: Are Deportation Hearings In The Bay Area Unconstitutional?, PDF
by Darwin BondGraham, March 7, 2017, East Bay Express
East Palo Alto seeks to strengthen immigrant protections, PDF
by Sue Dremann, February 17, 2017, Palo Alto Online
Rumors of immigration raids reach ‘boiling point’, PDF
by Mark Noack, February 17, 2017, Mountain View Voice
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Awards $3.6 Million to Tackle Housing Crisis, PDF
by Donna Kimura, February 7, 2017, Affordable Housing Finance
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative pledges $3.1m to help solve San Francisco’s housing crisis, PDF
by James Temperton, February 7, 2017, Wired
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announces $50 million research program, PDF
by Catharine Ho, February 7, 2017, The San Francisco Gate
Tech founder funds affordable housing nonprofit: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative offers $3.1M to East Palo Alto legal aid group, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, February 7, 2017, The Daily Journal
East Palo Alto nonprofit gets $3.1 million from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, PDF
by Sue Dremann, February 6, 2017, Palo Alto Online
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative gives $3.6 million to fight housing crisis, PDF
by Richard Scheinin, February 6, 2017, The Mercury News
Menlo Park: City weighs actions on displacement, PDF
by Kevin Kelly, January 12, 2017, The Mercury News
Menlo Park: Housing Commission to be revamped to take on displacement problem, PDF
by Kate Bradshaw, January 11, 2017, The Almanac
Menlo Park: Affordable housing on council’s slate next week, PDF
by Kevin Kelly, January 5, 2017, The Mercury News
Holiday Fund: Getting justice and a safe home, PDF
by Sue Dremann, January 1, 2017, Palo Alto Weekly
Court rules against payday lenders claiming to be part of tribes, PDF
by Bob Egelko, December 22, 2016, SF Gate
Families get immigration advice, help: Community organizations give guidance to those fearing threat of deportation, PDF
by Austin Walsh, December 21, 2016, The Daily Journal
Legal aid report: No-cause tenant eviction rate rises sharply, PDF
by Dave Boyce, December 15, 2016, The Almanac
Report: Families, minorities affected more by evictions: Nonprofit legal aid groups release countywide study examining impact of housing crunch on some of community’s most vulnerable, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, December 15, 2016, The Daily Journal
County aims to protect residents from Trump administration, PDF
by Kevin Forestieri, December 12, 2016, The Mountain View Voice
Report: Evictions increase in Menlo Park, county, PDF
by Kevin Kelly, December 9, 2016, The Mercury News
North Fair Oaks renters facing eviction as developer plans building upgrade, PDF
by Siqi Lin, December 7, 2016, Peninsula Press
Facebook Pledges $20 Million for Affordable Housing in Bay Area, PDF
by Megan O’Neil, December 2, 2016, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Facebook commits $20 million to fund affordable housing, job training in Silicon Valley, PDF
by Roland Li, December 2, 2016, San Francisco Business Times
Affordable housing projects in South Bay awarded $20M from Facebook in new partnership, PDF
by Nuala Sawyer, December 2, 2016, San Francisco Examiner
Facebook Forms Partnership to Create Affordable Housing in Silicon Valley, PDF
by David Cohen, December 2, 2016, Social Times
Facebook invests $20M to catalyze affordable housing development in Menlo Park, PDF
by John Mannes, December 2, 2016, TechCrunch
Facebook makes donation to East Palo Alto affordable housing, PDF
by Bryce Druzin, December 2, 2016, San Jose Business Journal Online
Facebook commits $20 million for affordable housing, other assistance,PDF
by Queenie Wong, December 2, 2016, The Mercury News
Menlo Park council could act on general plan changes, PDF
by Kate Bradshaw, November 28, 2016, The Almanac
East Palo Alto residents to get 30-day notice in red-tag evictions, PDF
by Sue Dremann, November 19, 2016, Palo Alto Weekly
Menlo Park: Landlords may be forced to offer leases of at least one year, PDF
by Kevin Kelly, November 17, 2016, The Mercury News
PayPal Chief Legal Officer: You’re Not Too Busy for Pro Bono, PDF
by David Ruiz, November 3,2016, Corporate Council
How big is resident displacement problem in Menlo Park?, PDF
by Kate Bradshaw, November 3, 2016, The Almanac
Questions and answers on rent control measures: Voters in San Mateo, Burlingame weigh complicated initiatives, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, October 29, 2016, The Daily Journal
Big money spent on the rent control campaigns: More than $1M raised for San Mateo, Burlingame measures, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, October 29, 2016, The Daily Journal
Nun plans housing protest: With building’s sale, 48 families face eviction, PDF
by Bill Silverfarb, October 21, 2016, The Daily Journal
Redwood City tenants to protest evictions at to-be-renovated apartment complex, PDF
by Bryce Druzin, October 20, 2016, Silicon Valley Business Journal
Hundreds beseech East Palo Alto council to end evictions, PDF
by Sue Dremann, October 19, 2016, The Almanac
Silicon Valley County Pushing $17 Living Wage, PDF
by Joyce E. Cutler, October 18, 2016, Bloomberg BNA
City split over rent control: Opposing factions continue debate as Burlingame’s Measure R heads to ballot, PDF
by Austin Walsh, October 4, 2016, The Daily Journal
The divide of Measure Q: San Mateo’s rent control tenant protection initiative draws debate, PDF
by Samantha Weigel, October 1, 2016, The Daily Journal
Low-income families face evictions as building ‘rebrands’ for Facebook workers, PDF
by Sam Levin, September 21, 2016, The Guardian
Menlo Park: Facebook gives $250K to nonprofits, PDF
by Kate Bradshaw, September 8, 2016, The Almanac
New group slams Menlo Park’s General Plan update, PDF
By Kevin Kelly, August 3, 2016, The Mercury News
Burlingame rent control to November ballot: Council unanimously approves measure, PDF
By Austin Walsh, August 2, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Rent control heads to council: Burlingame, San Mateo officials to vote on placing initiatives on fall ballot, PDF
By Austin Walsh, July 30, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Menlo Park: Council approves terms of development agreement for Facebook expansion project, PDF
By Kate Bradshaw, July 20, 2016, The Almanac
East Palo Alto activists say Menlo Park omitted key letter from Facebook expansion study, PDF
By Kate Bradshaw, July 7, 2016, The Almanac
Menlo Park: City, report blasted by coalition, East Palo Alto, PDF
By Kevin Kelly, July 7, 2016, The Mercury News
11k sign for rent control in San Mateo: Tenant advocates claim support for November ballot initiative, PDF
By Samantha Weigel, June 28, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Signatures submitted for San Mateo rent control initiative, but is it in time for November ballot?, PDF
By Bryce Druzin, June 27, 2016, The Silicon Valley Business Journal
Here’s what Facebook’s next Gehry-designed Menlo Park expansion could look like (RENDERINGS), PDF
By Nathan Donato-Weinstein, June 22, 2016, The Silicon Valley Business Journal
A day in the life of an “Attorney of the Day”, PDF
By Lezzak Shallat, June 20, 2016, KALW Public Radio
In Silicon Valley Suburbs, Calls to Limit the Soaring Rents, PDF
By Conor Dougherty, June 11, 2016, The New York Times
San Mateo likey to adopt $15 per hour minimum wage, PDF
By Brendan Bartholomew, June 9, 2016, The San Francisco Examiner
Report: Wage theft is widespread in county, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, June 1, 2016, San Mateo Daily Journal
Menlo Park: Attorneys call for city action on housing crisis, PDF
By Kate Bradshaw, April 21, 2016, The Almanac
Menlo Park: Nonprofits double down on affordable housing, PDF
By Kevin Kelly, April 14, 2016, San Jose Mercury News
Council: No rent control: San Mateo stalls on tenant protections; to continue discussion, PDF
By Samantha Weigel, April 5, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Rent meeting to draw crowd: San Mateo City Council to discuss measures addressing affordability crisis, PDF
By Samantha Weigel, April 2, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Potential ballot measure seeks rental protections, PDF
By Austin Walsh, April 1, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Hot Housing Markets Pinch Seniors: Decline in homeownership among older people leaves them susceptible to rent increases, PDF
By Jennifer Levitz and Laura Kusisto, March 31, 2016, The Wall Street Journal
Burlingame group targets rent-control measure for November ballot, PDF
By Nathan Donato-Weinstein, March 31, 2016, The Silicon Valley Business Journal
Lawsuit alleges landlord retaliation: School teacher says she was threatened with eviction after speaking to media, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, February 22, 2016, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Immigration Rocket Docket Rules Sought, PDF
By Nicholas Iovino, February 3, 2016, Courthouse News Service
Redwood City Renters, Officials Face Off as Housing Crisis Intensifies, PDF
By Farida Jhabvala Romero, December 21, 2015, KQED News
Rent protection discussions making waves in Pacifica, PDF
By Brendan P. Bartholomew, December 20, 2015, The San Francisco Examiner
Tenants get holiday reprieve: Displaced Burlingame Hotel residents offered payment and free rent, PDF
By Austin Walsh, December 12, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
County bans mobile home park closures and conversions, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, November 18, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
City moves toward $15 minimum wage hike: San Mateo council discusses high cost of living, balancing business concerns, PDF
By Samantha Weigel, November 18, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
High rents push aside Coastsiders: Some call for rent control, PDF
By Carina Woudenberg, October 16, 2015, The Half Moon Bay Review
How a Sarah Silverman skit played a role in Menlo Park’s ban on payday lenders, PDF
By Kate Bradshaw, October 14, 2015, The Almanac
Residents to fight eviction: Apartment building sold, new owners plan big renovation, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, October 6, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Building sold, tenant leases terminated: Rents go up as soon as Burlingame property changes hands, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, September 22, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
City stalls on renter protection: San Mateo council to wait for stakeholder input on affordable housing crisis, PDF
By Samantha Weigel, September 10, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Kids come to nanny’s rescue: Children sell cookies, lemonade to raise money for evicted caretaker, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, August 25, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Evicted tenants find relief: Landlord agrees to pay relocation costs for tenants at 910 Clinton St. in Redwood City, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, August 14, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Housing crisis runs on: San Mateo complex sold, new owners evict every tenant, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, July 27, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Salesforce Legal and Latinoforce team up again to help Immigrant Children in Court, PDF
By Shanti Ariker, July 1, 2015, SalesForce Foundation
Evicted tenants to stay put: Teen takes up fight to help family, friends find housing, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, June 30, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
Evicted Redwood City tenants hope to stay in homes, PDF
By Brendan P. Bartholomew, June 17, 2015, San Francisco Examiner
Measure limits city’s power on rents: Tenants at one Burlingame apartment building seek assistance, PDF
By Steve Mayer, June 15, 2015, The San Mateo Daily Journal
ICE ‘ramping up’ detention center in Bakersfield, PDF
By Steve Mayer, April 23, 2015, The Bakersfield Californian
Salesforce Legal Helps Youth Find the American Dream through Pro Bono Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, PDF
By Megan McCollum and Shreya Vora, April 6, 2015, Salesforce Foundation
Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto’s Ilyce Shugall – Women of Influence, PDF
By Gloria Wang Shawber, April 3, 2015, Silicon Valley Business Journal
New Facebook, Apple, Google Campuses Expected To Exacerbate Silicon Valley’s Housing Crisis, PDF
By Salvador Rodriguez, April 3, 2015, International Business Times
ICE opens 400-bed immigrant detention center near Bakersfield, PDF
By Kate Linthicum, March 24, 2015, Los Angeles Times
Coming out as undocumented, PDF
By AJ+, March 23, 2015, Al Jazeera Media Network
San Mateo County rent stabilization held up after board decision, PDF
By Gina Hall, March 18, 2015, Silicon Valley Business Journal
Understanding The Crisis In Our Immigration Courts, PDF
By Kathleen Guthrie Woods, Spring 2015, The Bar Association of San Francisco
Peninsula activists push county leaders for rent control, PDF
By Roland Li, February 26, 2015, San Francisco Business Times
Rally shines light on high rent: Advocates say seniors, disabled and working poor being priced out, PDF
By Bill Silverfarb, February 13, 2015, The SM Daily Journal
Rev. Jess Jackson to East Palo Alto: Fight gentrification
By Sue Dremann, January 27, 2015, Palo Alto Weekly
Silicon Valley 40 Under 40: Jason Tarricone
By Lynn Peithman Stock, December 12, 2014, Silicon Valley Business Journal
Four in Bay Area Land Skadden Fellowship
By Patience Haggin, December 11, 2014, The Recorder
Immigrants represented by attorneys far more likely to win deportation cases, Stanford law clinic study finds
By Terry Nagel, November 6, 2014, Stanford News
Mortgage broker who scammed East Palo Alto Residents goes to prison
By Sue Dremann, October 21, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
Gentrification in East Palo Alto: How and Why Should We Act
By Neil Chaudhary, October 9, 2014, The Stanford Daily
South San Francisco looks to limited payday loaning: City wants to protect against ‘predatory lending’
By Angela Swartz, September 23, 2014, The SM Daily Journal
East Palo Alto renter fight boils over in new Equity Residential class action lawsuit
By Lauren Hepler, September 12, 2014, Silicon Valley Business Journal
San Francisco immigration court a window into Children’s Crisis
By Susan Sward, September 7, 2014, Sacramento Bee
Tenants file class-action lawsuit against East Palo Alto’s largest landlord
By Sue Dremann, September 4, 2014, Palo Alto Online
An “Alien Invasion”
By Aimee Trujillo, August 13, 2014, Stanford Daily
Border cases jump to the head of the line in San Francisco immigration court
By Stephen Magagnini and Phillip Reese, August 6, 2014, Sacramento Bee
County to create host-family program for unaccompanied immigrants: Board of Supervisors votes 4 to 1 to house up to 50 children
By Elena Kadvany, August 6, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
Children, families fleeing Central America find refuge in the Bay Area
By Matt O’Brien, August 3, 2014, San Jose Mercury News
Local non-profit aids in Central American immigrant crisis: Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto is helping children who seek to stay in U.S. with relatives
By Elena Kadvany, August 1, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
City may regulate payday lenders: San Mateo city officials looking at land use, promote educational outreach
By Samantha Weigel, July 16, 2014, The Daily Journal: The Peninsula’s Homepage
Landlord in Gentrifying Silicon Valley Neighborhood Tried to Evict Rent-Controlled Tenant Over 75-Cent Debt
By Ben Mathis-Lilley, June 9 , 2014, Slate
Tenants’ rights group demands East Palo Alto records: Statewide organization wants documents related to Rent Stabilization Program audit
By Sue Dremann, May 9, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
East Palo Alto officially approves tenants’ rights ordinance: Expanded protections for renters will go into effect in 30 days
By Sue Dremann, May 8, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
East Palo Alto tenants sue the nation’s largest landlord
By Henrietta Burroughs, April 30, 2014, East Palo Alto Today
East Palo Alto family sues landlord Equity Residential over housing conditions
By Bonnie Eslinger, April 30, 2014, San Jose Mercury News
Tenants sue East Palo Alto’s biggest landlord: Lawsuit claims Equity Residential failed to correct dozens of problems
By Sue Dremann, April 30, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
In Silicon Valley, a New Investment: Eviction
By John Gittelsohn and Heather Perlberg, April 7, 2014, Bloomberg Businessweek
New law makes it tougher to take advantage of East Palo Alto tenants
By Bonnie Eslinger, April 2, 2014, San Jose Mercury News
East Palo Alto unanimously backs new tenant-protection ordinance: Equity Residential and Community Legal Services come to agreement, revised language
By Elena Kadvany, April 2, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
East Palo Alto Council to consider ordinance that strengthens tenants rights
By Bonnie Eslinger, March 31, 2014, San Jose Mercury News
East Palo Alto to discuss new tenant protections: Proposed ordinance pits residential firm giant Equity Residential against non profit Community Legal Services
By Elena Kadvany, March 31, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
East Palo Alto Rent Board slams audit: Rent program administrator’s resignation reveals conflict
By Sue Dremann, March 27, 2014, Palo Alto Weekly
Low-income housing advocates in East Palo Alto see threat to affordability
By Marianne LeVine, March 11, 2014, Peninsula Press
U.S. Immigration reform legislation could become reality in 2014
By John Irwin, January 15, 2014, Central Michigan Life
Foreclosure Rescue Scams Still Common, Warn Housing Counselors
By Anna Challet, Aug 22, 2013, New America Media.
Hanging in the balance
by Elena Kadvany, June 21, 2013, Palo Alto Weekly
Legal action is deferred, but dreams are not
By Sara Hayden, December 16, 2012, Half Moon Bay Review
Deportation relief spurring young immigrants to graduate or return to school
By Matt O’Brien and Theresa Harrington, September 4, 2012, Contra Costa Times
Viewpoint: Admitting the Undocumented to the Bar
By Ilyce Shugall and Francisco Ugarte, July 27, 2012, The Recorder
For young undocumented there is hope, uncertainty
By Sara Hayden, July 19, 2012, Half Moon Bay Review
San Mateo County admits mistakenly reporting arrested minors to ICE agents
By Bonnie Eslinger, July 13, 2012, San Jose Mercury News
Securing their futures
by Sue Dremann, May 11, 2012, Palo Alto Weekly