Welfare Rights Assistance

The program provides legal services for low-income people of all ages who live in Southeast Los Angeles County. Age and income restrictions apply; services are restricted to residents of Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Carson, Cerritos, Compton, Cudahy, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Hollydale, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, Norwalk, Paramount, South Gate, Walnut Park and Willowbrook.

Services include advocacy, counseling, information and referral, and representation. The agency provides a hotline that assists people with civil legal issues relating to family law, government benefits, landlord/tenant problems, housing, and consumer complaints. The agency also provides community education about these concerns as well as a lawyer referral service.

Family law services include assistance with custody, visitation and support; divorce; guardianship; paternity and temporary restraining orders. The agency provides supervision for self-represented divorce actions and representation.

The agency also provides counseling, advocacy and representation, when necessary, for public benefits recipients who are having difficulty obtaining the assistance to which they are entitled. The agency will also provide advocacy and assistance for Veterans to obtain their benefits.

Assistance with landlord/tenant disputes, eviction prevention, illegal utility shutoffs, substandard housing issues, or consumer disputes is also available.

The agency administers its own lawyer referral service which provides referrals to private attorneys who have expertise in all areas of law for people in the Southeast area, regardless of their income. A speakers bureau is available for educational presentations about specific legal issues that the agency routinely deals with, such as TRO's and welfare rights. The agency also provides self-help clinics on matters such as consumer law, dispute mediation, government benefits and small claims court procedures.