Open Door Legal Awarded $4.7M Grant to Expand Services in the Mission and Tenderloin

Open Door Legal Awarded $4.7M Grant to Expand Services in the Mission and Tenderloin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 2, 2026

Media Contact: Jess Arita; jess@opendoorlegal.org 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Open Door Legal is pleased to announce it has received a $4.7 million grant from the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to expand access to legal services and begin serving clients in the Mission and Tenderloin neighborhoods. This multi-year investment will allow Open Door Legal to take on more cases for low-income San Franciscans whose rights are being violated and to deepen its impact across communities most at risk of housing instability.

Open Door Legal will expand its capacity to serve more clients and meet rising demand for free, high-quality legal support. The funding will enable the organization to open services in the Mission and Tenderloin, increase staffing, and take on additional cases for residents at high risk of homelessness, including enabling people to recoup stolen wages and safely leave abusive relationships—among many other critical outcomes.

“Holistic legal aid has been proven to be one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce homelessness. This funding allows us to meet people where they are and intervene earlier, before legal issues turn into homelessness,” said Adrian Tirtanadi, Executive Director of Open Door Legal. “We look forward to working with the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to dramatically reduce homelessness in our city.”

Open Door Legal believes that access to justice should not depend on income and that strong legal advocacy is a powerful tool for preventing homelessness and promoting stability. By addressing legal issues that threaten housing, income, and safety, the organization helps clients stay housed, protect their rights, and build more secure futures for themselves and their families. 

“HSH is proud to support Open Door Legal as they expand critical services in the Mission and Tenderloin, reaching more households at risk of homelessness,” said Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. “This investment helps ensure individuals and families receive the legal support they need to stabilize their housing and move toward long-term stability. Together, we are advancing a more equitable San Francisco where everyone has access to the resources needed to remain safely housed.” 

This investment from HSH is matched by over $3 million in private funding, which has been and will continue to be a vital source of support for Open Door Legal during this period of expansion, funding innovation that leads to breakthroughs in how Open Door Legal operates. “As we seek to be truly citywide, our private funding partners are a necessary part of the equation,” said Laura Turner, Open Door Legal’s Director of Development and Communication. “It is our pleasure to work alongside HSH at this time, as we also continue long-lasting relationships with private funders and pursue new funding that allows us to be agile and flexible.” 

Founded in 2013 to provide free, accessible legal services to low-income San Franciscans, Open Door Legal serves clients across multiple practice areas, including housing stability, workers’ rights, and family safety. Through community-based service delivery and holistic legal support, Open Door Legal works to break down barriers to justice and strengthen the well-being of neighborhoods throughout the city.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Adrian Tirtanadi, please contact Jess Arita at jess@opendoorlegal.org