Western Center on Law & Poverty was formed in 1967 by a passionate group of attorneys and legal scholars from USC, UCLA and Loyola law schools who sought to create a unique organization, driven by the belief that low-income Californians deserve the finest possible legal representation before every institution that shapes their lives. In 1972, we opened our Sacramento office, establishing the first capital legislative office in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the interests of people experiencing poverty.
For over five decades, Western Center has advocated on behalf of Californians experiencing poverty in every branch of government—from the courts to the Legislature. Through the lens of economic and racial justice, we litigate, educate and advocate around health care, housing, and public benefits policies and administration.
The Center’s goal is for ALL Californians to have access to healthy, sustainable and affordable housing in neighborhoods of their choice. The Center advocates for robust, clear and enforceable displacement protections and works to:
Protect tenants from eviction and landlord abuse, and ensure access to housing through…
Work to ensure fair rents, require good cause for eviction, strengthen procedural protections for tenants facing eviction, and remove incentives for investor speculation.
Combating Housing Discrimination.
Creating ways for homeless people to access the supports and resources they need to obtain and maintain housing.
Working to end unfair policies that lead to the criminalization of homelessness
Preserving existing housing stock by…
Preventing the conversion of old subsidized units to market rate units
Calling for public subsidies that allow affordable housing operators to lower rents while maintaining high quality housing.
Strengthen laws that ensure that rental units and neighborhoods are healthy and habitable
Promote fair planning and development by…
Eliminating local government to deny affordable housing projects
Using private development to help create housing units for people and families with very low and extremely low incomes.
Providing funding for affordable housing
Creating more opportunities for community ownership and control of land and housing; ensuring that public land is used for the public good
Dismantling structural racism in land use and planning