Defending Rights, Preventing Homelessness, Restoring Hope

Gabriel was stunned when he opened a notice from his landlord: his rent was going up by 16.6%. “I felt embarrassed and worried,” he recalls, “It was just too much for me to pay.” 

Already spending more than 80% of his income on rent, Gabriel feared he’d have nothing left for food, transportation, or medical care. Or worse, that he’d be evicted and have nowhere to go if he failed to pay. 

That’s when he turned to the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley. They discovered the increase was more than double the legal limit and demanded it be corrected. The landlord then threatened to terminate Gabriel’s tenancy.

The organization proved the landlord’s threat to end Gabriel’s tenancy was retaliation and therefore unlawful. Thanks to their generous supporters who fund legal interventions, Gabriel kept his home at a rent he could afford.

Sadly, Gabriel’s experience is all too common. In civil court, landlords nearly always arrive with attorneys, while most low-income tenants face daunting legal processes alone. “It’s surprising to people that a tenant could lose their home without ever having a lawyer by their side,” says Cynthia Chagolla, the Law Foundation’s chief program officer.

That’s where the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley steps in. Each year, the Law Foundation helps more than 14,000 people in Silicon Valley – including thousands of children. With an 80-person team of attorneys and social workers, they meet urgent needs while working to change the systems that create them.

They are Silicon Valley’s nonprofit law office – ensuring justice isn’t a privilege only for those who can afford it, but a right for everyone. They assist families navigating immigration challenges, children in foster care, disabled individuals denied healthcare, students unjustly expelled from school, and others confronting unfair barriers.

Silicon Valley may be known for innovation and prosperity, but thousands of families are surviving on as little as $2,000 a month. “People assume the roads are paved in gold here – they’re just not,” Chagolla says.

Today, steep government funding cuts threaten vital safety net services, while changes to federal priorities will destabilize community members’ access to healthcare, food, housing, and education. 

For more than 50 years, the Law Foundation has watched how changes in policies and legal issues affect low-income neighbors. The Law Foundation fights against unjust impacts through direct legal services, education outreach, and advocacy to bring hope, help, and justice to neighbors facing crisis – people like Gabriel. 

“My story is a success story,” continues Gabriel. “It’s good that if someone finds themselves in a situation like mine, they can turn to the Law Foundation.”