SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced today additional funds that will help pay for legal services for tenants in the city who are facing eviction.
After voters in June passed Proposition F to provide city-funded legal representation to tenants facing eviction, Breed worked with the Board of Supervisors to set aside $1.9 million in fiscal year 2018-19 and $3.9 million in fiscal year 2019-20 for that purpose.
In all, the city will be spending more than $10 million annually on tenant protections, including about $6.3 million for legal services.
San Francisco is the first city in the state and the second nationwide to provide full-scope legal defense services for tenants facing eviction, according to the mayor's office.
"One of the most important things we can do to prevent displacement and homelessness is keep people housed in the first place," Breed said in a statement.
"I am a lifelong renter and I know what it is like to face housing insecurity. I fought to include this funding in the budget because no one should face eviction alone without knowing their rights," she said.