Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County Equal

Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County Equal Access to Justice

Our Mission § Our Mission is to ensure that lowincome people and seniors have access to the civil justice system § to secure safe shelter, § adequate income, § and protection from domestic violence and elder abuse.

Primary Services § Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Restraining Orders § Housing Discrimination, Habitability and Eviction Defense § Social Security, SSI and Public Benefits Eligibility Appeals

Other Services § § § Legal Resource Centers Telecom Rights Campaign Consumer Debt Clinic Project Outreach Senior Outreach Advance Health Care Directives

Protection from Abuse § One Client’s Story § Our client was a Santa Barbara mother with 2 teenage girls, ages 12 and 16. § Her ex-husband had been convicted and imprisoned for sexually molesting his older daughter. § The mother came to Legal Aid after her exhusband attempted to contact the older daughter by having his sister forward her a letter.

Protection from Abuse § How Did Legal Aid Help? § Our client was frightened because her ex-husband had been released from prison and the Restraining Order she had obtained when the abuse was discovered had expired. § Legal Aid helped the woman renew the Restraining Order for another 3 years.

Legal Help for Seniors § One Client’s Story § Our client was an elderly Lompoc woman whose home was being seized by the Sheriff because of a debt her deceased husband had neglected to pay several years earlier. § The value of her home was far greater than the amount of the debt.

Legal Help for Seniors § How Did Legal Aid Help? § Legal Aid negotiated an agreement with the creditor’s attorney. § The creditor agreed to postpone collection of the debt during the woman’s lifetime. § Our client can now remain in her home.

Protecting the Disabled § One Client’s Story § Our client was an elderly, slightly developmentally disabled, monolingual Spanish-speaking Santa Maria couple. § They were being evicted from the home they had rented for 20 years because they used their rent money to pay for a family member’s funeral and repair their only vehicle.

Protecting the Disabled § How Did Legal Aid Help? § Legal Aid contacted Adult Protective Services and secured funds to pay off a portion of the past due rent. § Legal Aid then negotiated an agreement with the landlord that allowed the couple to make monthly payments over a 1 year period to pay off the remainder of the past due rent. § Legal Aid also worked with APS to set up a payee account for future rent payments so the couple’s home will not be jeopardized in the future.

Preventing Homelessness § One Client’s Story § Our client was a mildly mentally disabled Santa Barbara woman who had been ordered to vacate her apartment while plumbing repairs were being made. § Unable to afford a motel and unaware that the property manager was violating her rights, the woman took her pet cockatiels and started sleeping in the park.

Preventing Homelessness § How Did Legal Aid Help? § Because the weather was exceptionally hot at the time, the woman’s pet birds began to suffer; when she sought help for the birds she was referred to Legal Aid. § Legal Aid informed the property manager that his actions were illegal. § Legal Aid called the police and arranged for officers to escort our client and her pet birds back to her apartment.

Other Help with Housing § Fair Housing Advocacy § Rental property testing. § Health and Safety Code Enforcement § Working with code enforcement.

Unmet Needs § Family Law § Contested divorces § Custody and property disputes § Guardianship applications § Consumer Law § Auto loan repossessions § Credit report corrections § Wage garnishments

Volunteer Opportunities § § § § Project Outreach Senior Outreach Legal Resource Centers DVRO Clinics Consumer Debt Clinic Internships Fundraising Committees Board of Directors

How to Support Legal Aid § § § § Special Event Sponsorship “Justice for All” Fund Monthly Pledge House Parties Cy Pres Awards Annual Auction Endowment Gift Bequest

Budget Revenue Amount Percent Donations & Special Events $170, 000 23% Government Grants $235, 750 31% Foundation Grants $138, 000 19% Bar Grants $146, 400 20% Fees $49, 400 7% Total Revenue $739, 175 100% Labor $548, 704 75% Professional Fees $16, 100 2% Program Costs $144, 790 20% Fundraising Costs $23, 400 3% Total Expenses $732, 995 100% Net $6, 180 0. 8% Expenses

Revenue

Expenses

Attorneys & Advocates § § § § Yvonne Cudney, Director of Litigation Ellen Goodstein, Program Director Alex Lambrous, Santa Barbara Robert Test, Lompoc (starts 1/4/06) Jane Wierda, Santa Barbara LRC Diamond Tran, Santa Maria LRC Elizabeth Diaz, DVRO Coordinator

Support Staff § § § Claire Magee, Paralegal Corine Greensky, Intake Coordinator Maribel Aguilera, Intake Coordinator Mari Estrada, Office Manager Jennifer Ohlmacher, Development Audrie Krause, Executive Director

Board of Directors § Officers § § § Philip Sinco, President Garry Tetalman, President-Elect David Thurber, Vice President Molora Vadnais, Secretary Barbara Tzur, Treasurer

Board of Directors § Members § § § Tim Allison Yvette Andrade James Cordes Allan Ghitterman David Landecker Jennifer Raphael

Where to Find Us § Offices § Santa Barbara: § 301 E. Canon Perdido St. § Santa Maria: § 301 S. Miller St. , Ste. 116 § Lompoc: § 106 S. “C” St. , Ste. A

Where to Find Us § Legal Resource Centers § Santa Barbara Courthouse § Mc. Mahon Law Library § 1100 Anapamu St. § Santa Maria Courthouse § Santa Maria Law Library § 312 -C E. Cook St.

Where to Find Us § Project Outreach (weekly, drop-in) § Tuesday: Franklin Community Center, SB § Wednesday: Goleta Community Center § Thursday: Westside Community Center, SB § Senior Outreach (monthly, appointment) § Carpinteria Senior Center § Goleta Senior Center § Lompoc Senior Center

Where to Find Us § Domestic Violence Clinics § Santa Barbara Office § Santa Maria Legal Resource Center § Consumer Debt Clinic § Santa Barbara Legal Resource Center

Equal Access to Justice § The Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County § Thank You!