We assist tenants who are facing eviction in court to represent themselves in responding to the eviction. We prepare the paperwork they need to respond in a timely manner and offer information and assistance. For many, not filing with the court on time can lead to homelessness.

Description:
The Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) provides legal assistance and advocacy to low-income and indigent tenants in San Francisco who are being evicted, by helping them draft legal papers in response to the eviction case and by providing them with legal information and referrals to assist them in fighting the eviction.

The EDC also administers one-time rental assistance grants/loans to help tenants who are behind in their rent to pay the rent and stay in their homes. The volunteers work closely with the Legal staff to help the tenants who seek our services. Volunteers have a high level of interaction with clients, and volunteers are given substantive responsibilities from the the first week they are in the office.

History:
The EDC has been helping tenants fight evictions since 1998. In collaboration with nine other non-profits, a representative from the private Bar, a local law school, and other agencies, the EDC provides much needed information and resources to tenants regarding a number of eviction issues. The EDC grew out of a need to provide emergency legal help to tenants threatened with eviction from their homes. The vast majority of tenants we help are extremely low income. Without our assistance, many of these tenants and their families would face imminent homelessness.
The EDC is funded by the City and County of San Francisco as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce homelessness and preserve affordable housing, by payments from tenants seeking our help, and by contributions from other non-profits, foundations and individual donors.

Contact person: David Zlutnick, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Main office number: (415) 947-0797 ext.117

Address:

995 Market Street, Suite 1200 San Francisco, CA 94103 (See a map)

Web Site: http://evictiondefense.org/temp

Directions:

We are located on Market Steet at 6th Street.

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	18
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	No
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	No