Name: Marin Community Foundation
Price range: $

The Objective

Increase access to legal services for low-income residents to help ensure due process and access to justice regardless of race or income level.

The Issue

Affordable, quality, legal and advocacy assistance can help individuals gain or maintain economic security, preserve safe housing, prevent domestic violence, and maintain other basic needs. However, there is a justice gap in Marin. 7 out of 10 of Marin County’s poorest residents experiencing a legal problem do not receive individualized legal assistance(1). This means that there are nearly 14,000 civil legal problems not addressed each year(2). In addition, shifting federal immigration policies and ongoing geopolitical constraints have resulted in a continuous, growing demand for immigration legal services.

Our Approach

MCF supports critical legal services provided by Marin’s core legal services providers in areas such as housing, immigration, family law, and employment/labor disputes that can prevent low-income people from falling into poverty. Positive resolution of legal matters can result in significant individual and community benefits, including higher incomes, better access to benefits, increased family stability, and homelessness prevention.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, legal services and advocacy have played a critical role in ensuring a more equitable response and recovery. Local legal service organizations shifted immediately to virtual service delivery and mounted an impressive effort to inform and educate communities about eviction moratoria, rental assistance, financial abuse, and workers’ rights, and played a critical role advocating for tenant protections.