Changes in Access to Tenant Counseling and Legal Services






→ This guide is for San Francisco renters. If you live outside of San Francisco, see the Coronavirus Resource Guide developed by Tenants Together.

Changes in Tenant Counseling

Most organizations have switched to phone counseling or phone check-ins before scheduling 1-on-1 appointments when possible. See the list below for how to access services from Tenant Counseling and Legal Service organizations, and check their websites for the most up to date information.

Tenant Counseling Organizations 

SRO Tenants

Legal Services


SAN FRANCISCO RENT BOARD: Phone counseling at (415) 252-4631 Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. For filing of documents with few pages, including tenant hardship applications, scan and attach your documents in PDF format and send them to: rentboard.311@sfgov.org or by fax to (415) 252-4699. Please indicate your name, phone number, the property address and case number, if any, in the email.  


TENANT COUNSELING ORGANIZATIONS

BILL SORRO HOUSING PROGRAM (BiSHoP) For help with affordable housing applications or tenant rights information. Phone counseling only: Please call (415) 513-5177 or email info@bishopsf.org and leave your name, phone number, the reason for your call, and the best time to reach you at and a housing counselor will follow up with you. Languages: English, Tagalog, Spanish, French

 

CAUSA JUSTA::JUST CAUSE (CJJC) Phone counseling only: Leave a voicemail at 415-487-9203 with your name, phone number, and a brief description of your problem.  A counselor will call you back as soon as possible. Languages: Spanish, English


CHINATOWN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER (CDCC) In-person clinic still available, but please call if possible: 415-984-2730. Leave your name, phone number and a counselor will return your call. Drop-in clinic Mondays from 2-4pm & Thursdays 10:30am-2:30pm, 663 Clay Street San Francisco. Languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, English


HOUSING RIGHTS COMMITTEE OF SF (HRCSF) Phone counseling only: call the numbers below and leave a message with your name, number, let us know if you are a HUD tenant or have Section 8 and a brief sentence about your issue: Mission Office – (415) 703-8634 (callbacks 1-5pm Mon- Thurs) Languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin Westside Office  – (415) 947-9085 (callbacks 9am-12pm Mon, Wed-Fri; closed Tues) Languages: English, Russian, Cantonese and Mandarin


SAN FRANCISCO TENANTS UNION (SFTU) Counseling by phone or email.  Non-members are advised to fill out the form here. Members may use the form or call their members-only phone counseling number. The form will be emailed back to you (usually in less than 10 minutes)-- then forward the form to info@sftu.org.  


SOUTH OF MARKET COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK (SOMCAN) Phone counseling only, Monday-Friday, 10AM-6PM by Appointment only. Appointments must be scheduled at least one day in advance. To schedule an appointment, please call or send a text message to (650) 273-6713. Appointments can also be scheduled here or send an email to tenantcounselor@somcan.org. Please leave your name, phone number, and a short message about your situation. Languages: English and Tagalog


TENDERLOIN HOUSING CLINIC CEOP PROGRAM Only making in-person appointments after a phone consultation. Leave a voicemail at (415 )775-7110 ext.: 1702 or by sending an email to allyn@thclinic.org. Leave your name, phone number, and a brief description of your issue. Languages: English and Spanish
 

SRO TENANTS

 

CENTRAL CITY SRO COLLABORATIVE Central City SRO Collaborative and La Voz Latina are only making in-person appointments after a phone consultation with a staff member.  Call (415) 983-3970 (La Voz) or (415) 775-7110 (CCSROC).  Languages: English and Spanish


CHINATOWN SRO COLLABORATIVE In-person clinic still available, but please call if possible: 415-984-2730. Leave your name, phone number and a counselor will return your call. How to See a Counselor: Drop-in clinic Mondays from 2-4pm & Thursdays 10:30am-2:30pm, 663 Clay Street San Francisco Languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, English  


MISSION SRO COLLABORATIVE (MSROC) Telephone counseling only: leave a voicemail with your name, phone number, and a brief description of your problem. Someone will call you back as soon as possible. Spanish Hotline: (415) 570-4329 English Hotline: (408)-658-6389 Languages: English and Spanish

 

EVICTION DEFENSE COLLABORATIVE (EDC) Offices are closed for in-person appointments. If you have received a Summons & Complaint (pictured here) or have been served a notice containing allegations of nuisance, call the legal assistance line as soon as possible: (415) 659-9184 or email: ​legal@evictiondefense.org. For RADCo (rental assistance), call (415) 470-5211 or email ​EDCRADCo@evictiondefense.org and leave your: name, number and address. Someone from RADCo will contact you as soon as possible. Languages: English, Spanish, Chinese


AAAJ-ASIAN LAW CAUCUS By Appointment Only. If you need legal assistance on a housing issue, please call 415-295-2024 or 415-212-9193. If we miss your call, please leave a voice/text message (Your name, phone number, and briefly describe the housing issue), and we will respond to you as soon as possible. The Housing Rights Program only provides legal assistance to San Francisco tenants. We prioritize cases involving eviction, reasonable accommodation, significant rent increase, landlord harassment, habitability issues, and change in terms of tenancy. We do not provide any services to landlords.

Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Hindi  

LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE ELDERLY Appointments only. If you need legal assistance, please call (415) 538-3333. If you are an existing client, please contact your advocate directly for assistance. If you are a new client, please leave a message and we will return the call as soon as we are able. We are prioritizing the following issues: evictions; notices to cut or terminate benefits; notices terminating rental subsidies; restraining orders to protect seniors. Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Russian


OPEN DOOR LEGAL: Free legal representation in civil cases (including family, housing, immigration, and employment law) for residents of Districts 5, 10, or 11. Potential clients can call (415) 735-4124, fill out a screening form at opendoorlegal.org/start or walk into any of our three locations during the weekday hours of 10 AM to 4:00 PM (closed 12-1). Everyone entering our offices must wear a mask and temperatures will be checked.

Bayview office located at 4634 3rd Street (for residents of zip codes 94107, 94124, 94134)

Excelsior office located at 60 Ocean Avenue (for residents of zip codes 94112, 94132)

Western Addition (temporarily closed) clients can be seen at either of the above office (for residents of zip codes 94117, 94115, 94122, 94102, 94109)



TENDERLOIN HOUSING CLINIC (THC) Tenants seeking assistance should contact 415-771-9850 for an intake phone interview to determine whether a THC attorney will represent the tenant.

 

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