Los Angeles is getting ready to put serious money behind its promise of a lawyer for tenants on the brink of losing their homes.
The city is poised to award the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles a three-year, $106.6 million contract to run Los Angeles' eviction-defense program. The agreement would run from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029, as the city rolls out its right-to-counsel framework for low-income renters.
A Los Angeles Housing Department transmittal lists the exact sum at $106,572,543.69 and recommends LAFLA as the lead contractor for eviction defense and prevention services. The deal is part of a roughly $177 million package of Measure ULA-funded homelessness-prevention contracts. The report says the awards follow a Request-for-Proposals process and that first-year funding is already included in the ULA expenditure plan, according to the Los Angeles Housing Department.
Who Would Run the Program
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, which coordinates Stay Housed L.A. and operates courthouse clinics and a tenant hotline, would serve as the lead administrator and coordinate a network of legal and community partners, according to the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
LAFLA has also been a frequent litigant against the city on issues such as towing and encampment enforcement. The Ninth Circuit's decision in Garcia v. City of Los Angeles, which limits the city's ability to seize and destroy unhoused people's property, is reflected in the federal opinion, according to the decision posted on Justia.
Who Is Eligible and How Services Will Be Delivered
The draft contract defines eligible tenants as households at or below 80% of Area Median Income. It prioritizes full-scope representation for residents in high-displacement-risk ZIP codes while offering limited-scope services to other eligible renters.
The agreement requires contractors to provide monthly reporting that includes demographic and geographic breakdowns and gives the city access to contractor and subcontractor records to verify services. It also creates a legal-services innovation pilot that must provide representation at an average cost of no more than $3,500 per case, according to the Los Angeles Housing Department.
Political Friction and Oversight
The recommended awards come after months of procurement scrutiny. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto previously refused to sign a five-year sole-source renewal and instead sought invoices and a legal review, moves that prompted temporary extensions and delays in earlier contracts.
Housing officials say the RFP process and the recommended awards are meant to address those concerns while trying to avoid interruptions to services, according to MyNewsLA.
What Renters Should Know
Tenants who need help can find clinics, workshops, and an intake line through Stay Housed L.A. LAFLA’s eviction-defense page lists a hotline and locations for in-person help. Under the program, renters who meet income and local-priority eligibility rules can access either full representation or limited-scope assistance, depending on their circumstances, according to the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
The contract recommendation now moves through City Hall for final approvals. If it is executed as recommended, it would represent a major infusion of public funding into Los Angeles' right-to-counsel rollout. Advocates and city officials say keeping services continuous will be crucial as the program scales up to serve thousands of tenants across the city.
