LIST: Resources for renting before you sign a lease

Bay Area Legal Aid - Legal advice from an attorney or to get an appointment 1-800-551-5554 - serving seven Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara

SparkPoint Centers - A project of the United Way Bay Area – provides free credit counseling and financial coaching services throughout the Bay Area.

Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco is a tenants rights organization serving all tenants living in San Francisco

Free credit reports are available at www.annualcreditreport.com

Tenants Together – Provides resources and information about rights of tenants throughout California, including your rights if your landlord is facing foreclosure, if you need repairs to your rental unit and how to get your security deposit back. A $25-$50 sliding scale donation gives you access to one-on-one counseling through the Tenants Together hotline.

Nolo Press has a lot of renter information - and a book specifically on California Tenants Rights