April 2024 Updates: Keep the Promise of Equal Justice
Photo: San Luis Obispo resident Ashlynn Miles (left) organizes belongings while speaking with CRLA attorney Sasha Aguilar. Credit: David Middlecamp for The Tribune
Dear friends,
Last week, as the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in an important case that will shape policy on how we treat our unhoused neighbors, I was reminded of why civil legal aid is so important.
Our nation was founded on the promise of equal justice under the law. That promise is a crucial safeguard to democracy and basic human rights.
But the promise falls apart if people can’t access justice simply because they don’t have the resources to hire an attorney.
CRLA advocates and co-counsel recently settled a federal lawsuit we filed against the City of San Luis Obispo for claims related to City policies that penalize people because they are unhoused.
Guided by our clients and their experiences, the settlement centered on the City’s interactions with unhoused residents and providing additional shelters. The City agreed to numerous policy improvements, including enhanced training for City staff on de-escalation and mental health crisis intervention.
The criminalization of homelessness is a pervasive problem throughout rural California and beyond. CRLA will continue to stand alongside our clients as they hold cities and municipalities accountable to respect all residents' civil rights.
You can read more about the SLO case in our Systemic Advocacy Update below. I hope you will share my pride in all the ways CRLA clients and staff are protecting democracy and keeping the promise of equal justice.
Thank you for your continued support!
In community,
Jessica M. Jewell
Executive Director
Systemic Advocacy Update Spring 2024
Systemic advocacy is CRLA’s hallmark and a key to lasting change for low-income communities. Our recent systemic advocacy includes work to:
- defend the rights of unhoused people
- keep Section 8 voucher recipients housed
- support LGBTQ+ students
- challenge racially discriminatory access to safe drinking water
Outside Coachella, Community-led Development
Coachella and the surrounding valley have been home to close-knit farmworker communities since long before the music festivals. Learn how one community turned a legal victory with CRLA into wider collaboration and transformed residents’ wellbeing— without the gentrification that too often pushes people out.
First CA Language and Disability Justice Retreat
Advocates gathered in Sacramento to explore the long history of language and disability justice and selected priorities that aim to weave access and inclusion into every aspect of our state government, from how laws are made to how information and services are provided.
2024-25 Law Fellowships Now Open!
Please share our 2024-25 Law Fellowships information with your networks. A few minutes of your time today will help us find fellows who can make a lasting impact in rural California. Thank you!
