1. Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Equal Access to Justice
Equal access to our civil justice system is the goal of the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County. This presentation is intended as a brief overview of the Legal Aid Foundation. In the most recent fiscal year we served more than 5,600 households in Santa Barbara County.

2. Our Mission
Our Mission is to ensure that low-income people and seniors have access to the civil justice system -
to secure safe shelter,
adequate income,
and protection from domestic violence and elder abuse.
The Legal Aid Foundation has been providing free legal assistance in critical civil matters since While many of the Legal Aid programs in California and other states have merged into multi-county agencies that primarily offer phone-based legal advice, the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County has continued to offer the full range of legal services - including representation in court and administrative hearings - solely within this one county.

3. Primary Services Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Restraining Orders
Housing Discrimination, Habitability and Eviction Defense
Social Security, SSI and Public Benefits Eligibility Appeals
Our primary services fall into three general categories:
First, we help victims of domestic violence and elder abuse obtain Restraining Orders against their abusers. DVRO clinics are held in Santa Barbara on Wednesday evenings and in Santa Maria on Monday and Friday during business hours.
Second, we help low-income families with housing discrimination, habitability problems and unlawful evictions. Fair Housing training and testing is conducted annually in Lompoc and Santa Maria.
Third, we help elderly and disabled persons appeal denial of benefits for Social Security, SSI and other public assistance programs.

4. Other Services Legal Resource Centers Telecom Rights Campaign
Consumer Debt Clinic
Project Outreach
Senior Outreach
Advance Health Care Directives
Legal Aid provides many other services:
We help self-represented litigants prepare court documents and navigate the civil justice system at the LRC.
We help consumers with telephone fraud, billing and service problems as part of the statewide Communities for Telecom Rights Campaign.
We offer advice to consumers regarding credit problems, wage garnishments and auto loan repossessions at a weekly Consumer Debt Clinic.
Our volunteer attorneys provide legal advice at drop-in clinics at community and senior centers.
We offer services for seniors at the Carpinteria, Goleta and Lompoc community centers.
We offer assistance in completing Advance Health Care Directives.

5. Protection from Abuse One Client’s Story
Our client was a Santa Barbara mother with 2 teenage girls, ages 12 and 16.
Her ex-husband had been convicted and imprisoned for sexually molesting his older daughter.
The mother came to Legal Aid after her ex-husband attempted to contact the older daughter by having his sister forward her a letter.
Our client was a Santa Barbara mother of 2 daughters, ages 12 and 16, who came to Legal Aid after her ex-husband attempted to contact the older daughter by having his sister forward a letter he had written her. The girl’s father had been convicted and imprisoned for sexually molesting her. After his release from prison their mother was frightened because the Restraining Order she had obtained when the abuse was discovered had expired. We helped her renew the Restraining Order for another 3 years.

6. Protection from Abuse How Did Legal Aid Help?
Our client was frightened because her ex-husband had been released from prison and the Restraining Order she had obtained when the abuse was discovered had expired.
Legal Aid helped the woman renew the Restraining Order for another 3 years.
Our client was a Santa Barbara mother of 2 daughters, ages 12 and 16, who came to Legal Aid after her ex-husband attempted to contact the older daughter by having his sister forward a letter he had written her. The girl’s father had been convicted and imprisoned for sexually molesting her. After his release from prison their mother was frightened because the Restraining Order she had obtained when the abuse was discovered had expired. We helped her renew the Restraining Order for another 3 years.

7. Legal Help for Seniors One Client’s Story
Our client was an elderly Lompoc woman whose home was being seized by the Sheriff because of a debt her deceased husband had neglected to pay several years earlier.
The value of her home was far greater than the amount of the debt.
Our client was an elderly Lompoc woman whose home was being seized by the Sheriff because of a debt her deceased husband had neglected to pay several years ago. Legal Aid negotiated an agreement with the creditor’s attorney under which the creditor agreed to postpone collection on the debt during the woman’s lifetime, and allowed the woman to remain in her home.

8. Legal Help for Seniors How Did Legal Aid Help?
Legal Aid negotiated an agreement with the creditor’s attorney.
The creditor agreed to postpone collection of the debt during the woman’s lifetime.
Our client can now remain in her home.
Our client was an elderly Lompoc woman whose home was being seized by the Sheriff because of a debt her deceased husband had neglected to pay several years ago. Legal Aid negotiated an agreement with the creditor’s attorney under which the creditor agreed to postpone collection on the debt during the woman’s lifetime, and allowed the woman to remain in her home.

9. Protecting the Disabled
One Client’s Story
Our client was an elderly, slightly developmentally disabled, monolingual Spanish-speaking Santa Maria couple.
They were being evicted from the home they had rented for 20 years because they used their rent money to pay for a family member’s funeral and repair their only vehicle.
Our client was an elderly, slightly developmentally disabled, monolingual Spanish-speaking Santa Maria couple.
They were being evicted from the home they had rented for 20 years because they used their rent money to pay for a family member’s funeral and repair their only vehicle.
Legal Aid contacted Adult Protective Services and secured funds to pay off a portion of the past due rent.
Legal Aid then negotiated an agreement with their landlord that allowed the couple of make monthly payments over a 1-year period to pay off the remainder of the past due rent.
Legal Aid worked with APS to set up a payee account for future rent payments so the couple’s home will not be jeopardized in the future.

10. Protecting the Disabled
How Did Legal Aid Help?
Legal Aid contacted Adult Protective Services and secured funds to pay off a portion of the past due rent.
Legal Aid then negotiated an agreement with the landlord that allowed the couple to make monthly payments over a 1 year period to pay off the remainder of the past due rent.
Legal Aid also worked with APS to set up a payee account for future rent payments so the couple’s home will not be jeopardized in the future.
Our client was an elderly, slightly developmentally disabled, monolingual Spanish-speaking Santa Maria couple.
They were being evicted from the home they had rented for 20 years because they used their rent money to pay for a family member’s funeral and repair their only vehicle.
Legal Aid contacted Adult Protective Services and secured funds to pay off a portion of the past due rent.
Legal Aid then negotiated an agreement with their landlord that allowed the couple to make monthly payments over a 1-year period to pay off the remainder of the past due rent.
Legal Aid worked with APS to set up a payee account for future rent payments so the couple’s home will not be jeopardized in the future.

11. Preventing Homelessness
One Client’s Story
Our client was a mildly mentally disabled Santa Barbara woman who had been ordered to vacate her apartment while plumbing repairs were being made.
Unable to afford a motel and unaware that the property manager was violating her rights, the woman took her pet cockatiels and started sleeping in the park.
Our client was a mildly mentally disabled Santa Barbara woman. The property manager at her apartment complex ordered her to vacate the apartment while plumbing repairs were made. Unable to afford a motel and unaware that the property owner was violating her rights, the woman took her pet cockatiels and started sleeping in a park. The weather was exceptionally hot and after a week outdoors it had taken its toll on her and her birds before someone referred her to Legal Aid for help. Our attorney informed her property manager that his actions were illegal, called the police and arranged for officers to escort her back to her apartment.

12. Preventing Homelessness
How Did Legal Aid Help?
Because the weather was exceptionally hot at the time, the woman’s pet birds began to suffer; when she sought help for the birds she was referred to Legal Aid.
Legal Aid informed the property manager that his actions were illegal.
Legal Aid called the police and arranged for officers to escort our client and her pet birds back to her apartment.
Our client was a mildly mentally disabled Santa Barbara woman. The property manager at her apartment complex ordered her to vacate the apartment while plumbing repairs were made. Unable to afford a motel and unaware that the property owner was violating her rights, the woman took her pet cockatiels and started sleeping in a park. The weather was exceptionally hot and after a week outdoors it had taken its toll on her and her birds before someone referred her to Legal Aid for help. Our attorney informed her property manager that his actions were illegal, called the police and arranged for officers to escort her back to her apartment.

13. Other Help with Housing
Fair Housing Advocacy
Rental property testing.
Health and Safety Code Enforcement
Working with code enforcement.
Legal Aid has contracts with the cities of Santa Maria and Lompoc to conduct Fair Housing training and testing, and to represent tenants in cases involving housing discrimination. We also conduct annual workshops for both tenants and landlords to inform both groups of their rights and responsibilities.
Legal Aid also works closely with city and county building inspectors to ensure that low-income rentals are in compliance with health and safety codes.

14. Unmet Needs Family Law Consumer Law Contested divorces
Custody and property disputes
Guardianship applications
Consumer Law
Auto loan repossessions
Credit report corrections
Wage garnishments
Many low-income residents need help with contested divorces involving custody and/or property issues, and also with guardianship applications. Legal Aid is exploring ways to offer these family law services to low and moderate income individuals on a sliding scale basis. Consumer credit problems are common among low-income residents. Legal Aid would like to provide help with auto loan repossessions, credit report corrections and wage garnishments beyond the limited advice available at the Consumer Debt Clinic.

15. Volunteer Opportunities
Project Outreach
Senior Outreach
Legal Resource Centers
DVRO Clinics
Consumer Debt Clinic
Internships
Fundraising Committees
Board of Directors
Volunteers play a significant role at Legal Aid. Attorney volunteers are needed for Project Outreach and Senior Outreach, the Legal Resource Centers, the Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinics and the Consumer Debt Clinic. Student internships are available for college and law school students. Interns assist our volunteer attorneys with intake and our administrative staff with data entry and file management. Community volunteers are needed to help with fundraising events, and community members with fundraising and financial expertise are needed on the Board of Directors.

16. How to Support Legal Aid
Special Event Sponsorship
“Justice for All” Fund
Monthly Pledge
House Parties
Cy Pres Awards
Annual Auction
Endowment Gift
Bequest
Legal Aid relies on community support for a significant portion of its annual budget. You can support Legal Aid by sponsoring a special event, making a donation to our “Justice for All” Fund, signing up for a monthly pledge or hosting a house party and inviting Legal Aid to make a presentation. State law encourages attorneys to donate residual funds from class action lawsuits to Legal Aid programs, and attorneys can support Legal Aid by participating in our annual auction. We also welcome bequests and gifts for an endowment fund.

17. Budget Revenue Amount Percent Donations & Special Events $170,000 23%
Government Grants
$235,750
31%
Foundation Grants
$138,000
19%
Bar Grants
$146,400
20%
Fees
$49,400 7%
Total Revenue
$739,175
100%
Expenses
Labor
$548,704
75%
Professional Fees
$16,100 2%
Program Costs
$144,790
Fundraising Costs
$23,400 3%
Total Expenses
$732,995
Net
$6,180
0.8%
This is the Board-approved budget for Fiscal Year Actual revenue and expenses may vary. Legal Aid needs to increase its annual operating budget by at least another $100,000 in order to offer salaries competitive with other public interest law firms and maintain a prudent reserve. Increases beyond that will enable Legal Aid to expand the range of legal services.

18. Revenue
Legal Aid revenue comes from a variety of sources, which helps to ensure stability. There is potential for significant growth in Fees and Donations and Special Event revenue.

19. Expenses
Salaries account for 75% of Legal Aid’s expenses. Fundraising costs are well under 5% of the budget, excluding salaries. Professional fees include the cost of the annual audit and contract bookkeeping services. Program costs include legal research services, case management software, practice guides, supplies and postage.

20. Attorneys & Advocates Yvonne Cudney, Director of Litigation
Ellen Goodstein, Program Director
Alex Lambrous, Santa Barbara
Robert Test, Lompoc (starts 1/4/06)
Jane Wierda, Santa Barbara LRC
Diamond Tran, Santa Maria LRC
Elizabeth Diaz, DVRO Coordinator
Legal Aid employs 6 staff attorneys; 3 in North County and 3 in South County, and a non-attorney advocate in South County. Staff attorneys in our three offices helped more than 1,200 households in the last fiscal year; attorneys and volunteers at our Legal Resource Centers helped more than 3,700 self-represented litigants, and our Project Outreach volunteer attorneys advised nearly 700 individuals at our drop-in advice clinics.

21. Support Staff Claire Magee, Paralegal
Corine Greensky, Intake Coordinator
Maribel Aguilera, Intake Coordinator
Mari Estrada, Office Manager
Jennifer Ohlmacher, Development
Audrie Krause, Executive Director
Legal Aid operates with extremely limited paralegal and administrative support. We have one intake coordinator in each office who is responsible for answering phones, greeting and screening clients, maintaining client files and doing data entry in our case management system.

22. Board of Directors Officers Philip Sinco, President
Garry Tetalman, President-Elect
David Thurber, Vice President
Molora Vadnais, Secretary
Barbara Tzur, Treasurer
Legal Aid Foundation is a nonprofit charity governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Phil Sinco is a deputy city attorney in Santa Maria, Garry Tetalman is a partner in Anticouni & Associates, David Thurber is a solo practitioner, Molora Vadnais is a volunteer attorney at Legal Aid, Barbara Tzur is President of Brylen Technologies.

23. Board of Directors Members Tim Allison Yvette Andrade James Cordes
Allan Ghitterman
David Landecker
Jennifer Raphael
Tim Allison is a real estate agent and community activist, Yvette Andrade is a social worker and community activist, James Cordes is a solo practitioner, Allan Ghitterman is a partner in Ghitterman & Ghitterman, David Landecker is a community activist, Jennifer Raphael is an associate at Anticouni & Associates.

24. Where to Find Us Offices Santa Barbara: Santa Maria: Lompoc:
301 E. Canon Perdido St.
Santa Maria:
301 S. Miller St., Ste. 116
Lompoc:
106 S. “C” St., Ste. A
Full service offices are in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Lompoc. Legal advice and representation is available in our primary service areas to qualified individuals.

25. Where to Find Us Legal Resource Centers Santa Barbara Courthouse
McMahon Law Library
1100 Anapamu St.
Santa Maria Courthouse
Santa Maria Law Library
312-C E. Cook St.
Self-help Legal Resource Centers at the courthouses in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, in the Law Libraries. Self-represented litigants can get advice on small claims lawsuits and civil matters.

26. Where to Find Us Project Outreach (weekly, drop-in)
Tuesday: Franklin Community Center, SB
Wednesday: Goleta Community Center
Thursday: Westside Community Center, SB
Senior Outreach (monthly, appointment)
Carpinteria Senior Center
Goleta Senior Center
Lompoc Senior Center
Project Outreach drop-in advice clinics are offered at the Franklin Community Center on Tuesday, the Goleta Community Center on Wednesday and the Westside Community Center on Thursday.A bilingual volunteer attorney is available at the Franklin Center.
Appointments with the volunteer Senior Outreach attorney are available at the Carpinteria and Goleta Senior Centers and in the Santa Barbara office. In Lompoc, a monthly Senior Outreach is staffed by our paralegal.

27. Where to Find Us Domestic Violence Clinics Consumer Debt Clinic
Santa Barbara Office
Santa Maria Legal Resource Center
Consumer Debt Clinic
Santa Barbara Legal Resource Center
Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinics are held every Wednesday evening in our Santa Barbara office, and every Monday and Friday during business hours at the Santa Maria Legal Resource Center.
A Consumer Debt Clinic is held every Thursday at the Santa Barbara Legal Resource Center.

28. Equal Access to Justice
The Legal Aid Foundation
of Santa Barbara County
Thank You!
Thank you for your interest in the Legal Aid Foundation. Are there any questions?