“For years we heard complaints of people who told us they had to stand by helplessly while Caltrans crews threw belongings they treasured into trash compacting garbage trucks,” said Osha Neumann, supervising attorney at the East Bay Community Law Center. “Sometimes people with disabilities were given only a few minutes to move everything they wanted to save. We hope, with this settlement, those days are over.”

Most advocates for tenants rights and homeless people believe housing is essential, much like food or water. “It has to begin with the recognition of what it takes to be a human being,” said Osha Neumann, an attorney with the East Bay Community Law Center and longtime defender of people experiencing homelessness.

“If someone has a right to life, someone has a right to what is required to live that life,” Neumann said. “And housing, shelter is certainly one of those things.”

“I got the opportunity to work with clients in a more direct and in-person manner. I enjoyed being able to build connections with them,” said Anya.

The Partnership for the Bay’s Future, with funding from other organizations, provided the city of Berkeley and the East Bay Community Law Center with a “challenge grant” and support to advance tenant protections and preserve existing affordable housing through policy changes.

Kate Mather is a student at EBCLC’s Clean Slate Clinic. She works closely with Osha Neumann to fight for the decriminalization of homelessness. Read Kate’s reflection on her time at EBCLC. A half-hour after I first walked into the East Bay Community Law Center, my supervisor, Osha Neumann, suddenly interrupted our meeting. “Oh,” he said, […]

“That is incredible,” Schaaf said Monday during a news conference at City Hall. “It just shows what a partnership can do when we come together to take on this humanitarian crisis of homelessness as well as displacement. We want to keep Oakland Oakland, and that starts with keeping Oaklanders in Oakland.”

“Keep Oakland Housed in the last year and a half has kept 2,117 households from losing their housing,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf.

Founded in 1988 by Berkeley Law students, the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) is the largest non-profit provider of free legal services in Alameda County, serving more than 5,000 clients each year delivering client-centered, community-driven, and culturally-responsive services and engaging in legislative and policy advocacy.

We use legal and administrative strategies to mitigate the impact of inequitable and unjust systems on low-income individuals, families, and communities while advocating for systemic change at the local and state level. EBCLC’s ability to address a wide range of substantive legal issues, including housing, health, immigration, consumer and court debt, community economic development, juvenile defense, school expulsion, and community reentry, enables us to build a more healthy, secure, productive, and hopeful community.

In addition to our legal advocacy work, EBCLC functions as a law school teaching hospital, serving as the community clinic for Berkeley Law and preparing over 150 law students every year to become skilled and principled advocates committed to finding innovative solutions to the causes and conditions of poverty.

Over our 30+ year history, we have grown to a staff of more than 70, organized in eight legal clinics within five broad program areas, with an $8 million annual budget, two office locations, and a deeply supportive and engaged Board of Directors.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

The Clean Slate “Crim-Imm” Program Coordinator/Paralegal provides services to clients who are facing immigration consequences due to criminal justice involvement, assisting with client intake and screening for immigration remedies, supporting the preparation of court filings for criminal record remedies, and helping to coordinate client services provided by attorneys in the Clean Slate and Immigration practices. The position requires someone who truly enjoys working with a diverse range of people in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment, and who brings strong communication and organizational skills to support the activities and staff of the Clean Slate and Immigration units who are serving criminal justice-involved immigrant clients. The position helps bridge services provided by the Clean Slate and Immigration practices.

“I am honored to lead EBCLC as we work in partnership with our clients to navigate and disrupt the legal system, and to reimagine justice.”

The Health & Welfare Practice of the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) seeks an attorney for a temporary full-time position as a Staff Attorney to provide direct legal services to low-income individuals and to assist with the training and supervision of law student interns.

The ideal candidate is a strong legal advocate with excellent case management and organizational skills, experience in public benefits advocacy, interest in training law students, a passion for working with low-income people, and is committed to furthering the mission for social justice. We strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply.

EBCLC is a non-profit legal services organization and the community-based clinical program for Berkeley Law School. We are committed to increasing justice through education and advocacy, as well as building a culturally diverse workplace centered on equity.

With over 70 staff, 150 law students, and an $8 Million annual budget, EBCLC is the largest provider of free legal advocacy in Alameda County, providing multimodal, collaborative, and holistic legal services to over 5,000 clients yearly. EBCLC supports is ground-level legal advocacy through legislative and policy advocacy at the local and state level.