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Keeping San Franciscans Housed: The Power of Access to Justice
Together, these interventions demonstrate that civil legal aid is not merely about resolving disputes—it is frontline homelessness prevention.
Rosalie*
“Repeatedly, I would ask myself: What is going to happen to me? Are my abusers going to follow me? Are they going to go after my children and grandchildren?”
Alona
“I cannot put into words how much Open Door Legal has helped me…They are angels to me. They have become my family in this country.”
Ron
For two years, my son’s mother prevented me from seeing him. She ran away with him and changed his name. I had to hire a private investigator just to locate him. A mere few months later, she took him again. It became a trend.
Cory
“As I think about my community, I look forward to Open Door Legal’s future of getting to a city-wide scale.”
Hiyab
“Often people come here having experienced something traumatic, so I’m the first person to see them and provide some kind of reassurance.”
Brittany
I grew up in Bayview. When I got out of college I started doing research on the wealth gap and its effects on people’s livelihood and quality of life, and its connections to historical injustices. The intersections of my interests with justice made me decide to pursue a legal career.
Camille
“Equity is taking into account the fact that some people have started with so much less that they’re disadvantaged. So to be in an equitable place with others, you might give them more pieces of the pie than you would give the next person. “
Hannah
“We want to keep families safe, together, safely housed, healthy and happy. These are all basic rights that everyone deserves and is entitled to in this country.”
Melat
“Is everyone being treated the same? It’s not about equal outcome, but equitable outcome.”
Sumaya
“Since they had an Arabic-speaking person, they felt connected and confident in wanting to actually tell their story.”
Brandon
“I strongly believe in the organization’s mission of providing civil justice to individuals who otherwise can’t afford legal services, and that the ability to pay should not be what decides whether the law can work for you or not.”