Take action for reliable, affordable, and convenient public transportation!

We're demanding accessible transportation that reliably, affordably, and conveniently gets people where they need to go. We believe that funding for transportation improvements should come from those with the ability to pay—not just from small businesses and low-income residents.​ Bay Area lawmakers are deciding how major transportation initiatives will be funded and we need your voice to be heard. If you share our vision, endorse Mobilize the Bay and join the Voices for Public Transportation coalition!

Stand up to HUD's relentless attacks on fair housing

HUD and the Trump White House are trying to gut the Fair Housing Act by hollowing out the rules that require cities to dismantle segregation and end housing discrimination. Their proposals also attack rent control, basic labor standards, and laws to keep our air and water clean! We won't allow it! Join the Alliance for Housing Justice and stand up to Secretary Ben Carson and President Trump! Public Advocates is a founding member of AHJ.

The moment to make sure LCFF lives up to its promise!

Our Education team has been laser-focused on #WeMakeLCFFWork — a month-long community education campaign to make sure families know their rights, are fully engaged in the school budget process and that their voices are heard by school districts. Click here to access ALL the resources and tools we shared during February!

Proud to stand with Oakland renters!

We are helping introduce the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act in March 2020! The measure will give Oakland renters the first opportunity to purchase their home if their landlord decides to sell. Renters can also partner with nonprofit organizations and land trusts to buy their homes and preserve affordability. This is a vital step in stopping the displacement of Black families in Oakland.

Pictured: Press conference with Moms 4 Housing, the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, Asian Pacific Environmental Network ,  Causa Justa Just Cause ,  Oakland Community Land Trust , Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas, East Bay Housing Organizations  and  Urban Habitat. Public Advocates Staff Attorney Ruby Acevedo (second row, second from left) represented us!

Leading on fair housing

We co-sponsored and passed AB 686 to make sure cities took proactive steps to dismantle housing segregation, prevent displacement, and meet the housing needs of communities of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other protected classes. This month, Managing Attorney Sam Tepperman-Gelfant spoke to government and community leaders at the Federal Reserve about implementing AB 686. This is another example of how California is leading the fight against damaging policies proposed by the Trump Administration, which moved this month to gut the Fair Housing Act. Check out coverage from the Mercury News.

We are proud to announce that Sam Tepperman-Gelfant , a 13-year veteran of Public Advocates, is being promoted to Managing Attorney. Sam will be spearheading our organization’s work on housing, renters' rights, and displacement, partnering with grassroots groups to build community power and advance economic and racial justice.

Since joining Public Advocates in 2007, Sam has made major contributions to communities in California -- including the creation of a visionary redevelopment plan for the massive Concord Naval Weapons Stations that will result in three thousand new homes for low-income families and a new East Bay Regional Park; the forging of an agreement between East Palo Alto community groups and the social media giant Facebook for a $20M investment in affordable housing and tenant protections; and the incorporation of an Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing requirement in California law, protecting and expanding a key provision of the Federal Fair Housing Act that has been gutted by the current administration in Washington. Most recently, Sam helped to pass AB 1482, a watershed law providing statewide protection for tenants in California. Congratulations, Sam, our newly promoted Managing Attorney at Public Advocates!

Guillermo Mayer receives award from the UC Hastings Public Interest Law Foundation!

President and CEO Guillermo Mayer keynoted and received an award at the UC Hastings Public Interest Law Foundation Gala! The foundation provides stipends to public interest law students providing pro bono services.

Pictured: Guillermo with UC Hastings Associate Professor Nira Geevargis

The Voices of Conscience Fund: our civil rights war chest

Support for the Voices of Conscience Fund , now entering its third year, continues to grow. We're grateful to all our sponsors for leading the way and hope you will join us again in 2020. In lieu of hosting a costly annual dinner, Public Advocates has created the Fund to direct 100% of your financial contribution to building the legal firepower necessary to fight for education, housing and transportation equity. Please click here to explore sponsorship levels. 

Public Advocates in the News

The  Mercury News  mentions Liz Ryan Murray in a story about housing plans from 2020 Democratic presidential candidates..... Northern California Public Media , Mercury News , SF Public Press  mention Managing Attorney Sam Tepperman-Gelfant in a story about implementing the AB 686 fair housing bill..... KALW mentions Managing Attorney John Affeldt in a story about increases in education spending in Governor Newsom's budget.....A  San Francisco Bay View  op-ed about the Tenant Protection Act mentions Public Advocates..... EdSource includes John Affeldt in a story featuring more than 40 California education leaders..... EdSource covers the proposed $50 million budget cut to the West Contra Costa Unified School District and mentions Public Advocates..... EdSource mentions John Affeldt in a story about Governor Newsom's budget priorities..... EdSource mentions Senior Legislative Counsel Rigel Spencer Massaro in a story about a program that recruits classroom aides, food service workers and bus drivers — who are already on campus and invested in local schools — and trains them to become teachers.....   California Globe   covers the announcement of Green New Deal legislation by Assemblymember Rob Bonta and Public Advocates is mentioned in the story.