Bet Tzedek Legal Service
For nearly 40 years, Bet Tzedek has championed the needs of low-income individuals and families in Los Angeles County by providing high-quality, free legal services, including impact litigation, direct representation and education. In addition to expertise in housing, elder law, debt and bankruptcy matters, our innovative programs include:
lrmas Housing Rights Project that facilitated the creation of Los Angeles' housing code enforcement program;
California Consumer Justice Coalition, a collaborative of five legal services agencies led by Bet Tzedek and funded by a grant from the California Attorney
General under the National Mortgage Settlement to assist individuals and families caught in the foreclosure crisis;
Employment Rights Project, recently cited in the news for its federal court action against Wal-Mart for unfair labor practices; and
Holocaust Survivors Justice Network, a nationwide collaborative of more than 125 law firms and social service agencies that assist Holocaust survivors with reparations claims and other issues.
Founded by a small, passionate group of lawyers, rabbis and others as a volunteer program in 1974, Bet Tzedek now has a staff of 65 (including 30 attorneys) and hundreds of pro bono attorneys, law student interns, and other volunteers who work together to assist 15,000 low-income people in Southern California every year. Bet Tzedek's mission is based on a central tenet of Jewish law and tradition, "Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof- 'Justice, justice you shall pursue,"' and we pursue justice on behalf of clients from all walks of life - regardless of racial, religious, or ethnic background.
THE CASE
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On behalf of thousands of tenants living in slum properties in central California, Bet Tzedek is preparing to file a groundbreaking class action suit seeking injunctive relief against a large regional landlord. The landlord targets low-income, vulnerable tenants by offering cheap rent, purportedly without a lot of interference from the property manager. In reality, the properties are neglected slums. Requests for repairs go unanswered for months, even years, and those making the requests face retaliation. The case is intended to force a change in the property manager's business model and to protect thousands of tenants in the region and beyond.
CASE UPDATES SINCE GRANT YEAR
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Neng Vu, et al. v. JD Home Rentals
Report the successful results of the class action housing suit they brought on behalf of more than four thousand tenants against a large landlord in Fresno, California, alleging deplorable housing conditions, including vermin infestation, mold, collapsed ceilings, lack of heat, and absence of sanitation.
The parties are awaiting a final hearing on a settlement that has been preliminarily approved by the Court.
GRANT AMOUNT
$10,000 (2014)