Legal Aid in San Francisco, CA: How to Get Help in the City

If you live in San Francisco and can’t afford a private lawyer, there are several real and verified organizations offering free or low-cost civil legal aid. This guide will help you find help for housing issues, evictions, tenant disputes, benefits, consumer problems, civil-rights concerns, family law, and more.

Major legal aid organizations serving San Francisco

Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal)

What they do: BayLegal is the largest provider of free civil-legal services to low-income individuals in the Bay Area, including San Francisco. They handle housing (tenant/landlord disputes, evictions, habitability, discrimination), public benefits, consumer protection, immigration support (for eligible cases), domestic violence survivors’ needs, and general civil-law issues.

How to contact: Their San Francisco office — Legal Advice Line: 800-551-5554 for screening and intake. (Address: 1800 Market St., 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102)

Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC)

What they do: EDC provides free legal representation, advice, and tenant-rights support for renters facing eviction or housing-related issues. They also offer rental assistance resources when available — and help tenants navigate landlord/tenant disputes or unlawful detainers.

How to contact: Call (415) 659-9184 or email legal@evictiondefense.org. They operate multiple walk-in clinics (e.g. 976 Mission St.) and also maintain satellite clinics in neighborhoods such as Bayview–Hunters Point and the Mission. Drop-in hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:00–11:30 a.m. & 1:00–2:30 p.m. at main clinic.

Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco (JDC)

What they do: JDC provides pro bono and low-cost legal services and social-service referrals to low-income, homeless, and vulnerable residents of San Francisco. They also run a Legal Advice & Referral Clinic (LARC) which offers limited-scope civil legal advice — including consultations on housing, family law, consumer issues, and more.

Contact for referrals/consults: Call the San Francisco–Marin Lawyer Referral & Information Service at (415) 989-1616. JDC also offers monthly free legal-advice clinics.

Open Door Legal (ODL)

What they do: ODL is a nonprofit legal-aid clinic serving low-income San Franciscans. They represent or advise clients in civil matters across more than 35 areas of law, including consumer debt defense, bankruptcy, small claims, home-ownership issues, mortgage problems, elder-abuse or financial-exploitation defense, restraining orders/civil harassment orders, and more.

Who they help: Income-qualified residents (based on household income relative to area median income) residing in designated San Francisco districts. Even if you don’t qualify, they may provide referrals.

Useful court & self-help resources

• San Francisco Law Library & Self-Help Center: Offers resources, free legal-information guides, court forms (eviction defense, small claims, family law, etc.), and access to self-help programs for individuals representing themselves.
• Disability + Aging Services – Legal Services (for seniors & disabled persons): Helps with benefits appeals, eviction prevention, consumer-fraud defense, elder-law issues, debt collection, and simple wills / advance directives — for residents aged 60+ or with disabilities.
• 211 Bay Area Legal & Social-Services Hotline: Dial 211 to get connected to free or low-cost legal assistance, referrals, or help identifying relevant legal-aid providers. Available 24/7 in multiple languages.

What kinds of cases are commonly covered — and what legal-aid typically does not cover

Common issues covered by these providers:

• Evictions, unlawful detainers, rental disputes, unsafe or uninhabitable housing, landlord harassment
• Housing discrimination and fair-housing complaints
• Consumer debt, debt-collection defense, bankruptcy, small claims, financial abuse, elder-fraud, predatory lending
• Public-benefits issues, health-coverage problems, disability/aging-related legal matters for eligible clients
• Civil-rights, immigrant rights, domestic violence, restraining orders or harassment protection orders
• Family-law matters (custody, support, parenting orders) — depending on provider and eligibility

What’s usually not covered (or only limited-scope):

• Criminal defense (felonies, misdemeanors, DUI, traffic offenses) — these organizations focus on civil-law issues.
• Major commercial litigation or business-law cases involving complex corporate or commercial matters.
• Large personal-injury lawsuits (unless perhaps referred to a private attorney).
• Some specialized or complex immigration matters (many organizations limit to immigration-related protections, not full immigration litigation).

When to reach out immediately

• You received an eviction notice, unlawful-detainer complaint, or lockout threat: Contact BayLegal or EDC immediately — housing-law deadlines often move fast.
• Unsafe or uninhabitable housing conditions, landlord harassment, or rent increases/illegal eviction attempts: Seek help as soon as possible.
• Debt collections, wage garnishment, predatory lending, or financial exploitation (especially of seniors): Contact ODL, Aging/Disability Legal Services, or self-help clinics early to respond before collection actions escalate.
• Public-benefits denials or loss of Medi-Cal, disability or elder benefits: Appeal quickly — many providers help with benefits-denial issues for eligible individuals.
• Domestic violence, harassment, or civil-rights violations: Contact JDC, BayLegal, or civil-rights providers for advice, representation, or protective-order help.

How to prepare before you call or apply

1. Gather all relevant documents: leases or rental agreements, eviction notices, rent receipts, landlord communications, debt/collection letters, medical or benefits notices, ID, income proof, household information, court filings, and any notices or deadlines.
2. Create a clear timeline: when rent defaults or nonpayment began, notice dates, any communications with landlord or debt collector, benefit-denial dates, or incident dates for harassment/abuse.
3. Write a short summary of your legal issue: 2–3 sentences explaining the core problem (e.g. eviction defense, debt harassment, benefits denial, housing discrimination, etc.).
4. Have household and income info ready: number of people living in home, income, benefits, disabilities or elderly status — many providers use these to assess eligibility.
5. Note any urgent or special circumstances: domestic violence, health problems, senior/disabled status, children involved, risk of homelessness — these may influence priority and eligibility.

Alternatives if you don’t qualify for full free representation

• Limited-scope or brief-advice clinics: JDC’s LARC, ODL consultations, or self-help centers for guidance on paperwork and next steps.
• Self-help & court self-representation: Use San Francisco Law Library resources, self-help guides, and court-form packets if comfortable representing yourself.
• Referral to private attorneys via Lawyer Referral Service (if needed): Contact the San Francisco–Marin Lawyer Referral & Information Service at (415) 989-1616 for consultations, especially for more complex or non-eligible matters.

Conclusion: Where to Start if You Need Legal Aid in San Francisco

If you live in San Francisco and need civil-legal help, start with Bay Area Legal Aid — call 800-551-5554 for intake. If your case involves eviction or housing issues, consider calling Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) at (415) 659-9184. For civil-rights, consumer, or other legal problems, Open Door Legal (ODL) or Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) may help. Before contacting anyone, gather documentation, a clear summary of your issue, and household/income information — this improves your chances of getting help quickly.