FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2024
Contact:
Elana Eden, Communications Manager
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
(323) 801-7996
eeden@lafla.org
East Los Angeles, CA – On Wednesday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m., the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) will be joined by Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda. L. Solis to break ground on a new home at 5228 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90022.
Rebuilding LAFLA’s neighborhood office, which opened at this location in 1972, will allow the organization to expand services, increase accessibility, and provide a welcoming environment for clients and staff. The planned three-story building will include private interview rooms to allow attorneys to see clients in comfortable, confidential settings; a children’s play area to increase access to services for families without childcare; and a dedicated event space to host legal clinics for on-the-spot services.
“For over 50 years, LAFLA has served as a cornerstone of equal justice in the East LA community. We are excited to transform and elevate this space to offer our clients the dignity and respect they deserve as they seek life-changing assistance,” said Silvia Argueta, LAFLA Executive Director.
The project includes the restoration of a historic mural by Chicano arts pioneer Willie Herrón III, which will be reinstalled at the building when construction is complete, estimated for early 2025. Herrón began restoring the mural in March. Two bus stops outside the front door will benefit from sidewalk improvements, as well as drought-tolerant landscaping. The project will also provide onsite employee parking.
The project team consists of project manager Urban Design Center, architects House & Robertson, and construction company Curtom Dunsmuir. Support for the building is provided in part by The Ahmanson Foundation, The S. Mark Taper Foundation, and The W.M. Keck Foundation, as well as individual contributors.
In addition to Supervisor Solis, the groundbreaking ceremony will also feature remarks by Silvia Argueta, LAFLA Executive Director; Jim Burgess, owner of Burgess Dispute Solutions and Chair of LAFLA’s East Los Angeles Office Capital Campaign Committee; Amy Lerner-Hill, Chair of LAFLA’s Board of Directors and Deputy General Counsel for City National Bank; and Yolanda Arias, Managing Attorney for LAFLA’s Economic Stability Workgroup and East Los Angeles Office.
LAFLA has maintained a presence in the East Los Angeles community since 1954. In 2023, its East LA office took over 5,500 cases, with the top issue areas being Record Clearance, Tickets, & Licenses; Government Benefits & Health Care; and limited immigration services. About 85% of clients served by this office identified as Latinx, representing the demographics of the community.
During construction, LAFLA’s East LA branch continues to provide services across the street at 5301 Whittier Blvd., 4th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90022.
###
About Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles is a nonprofit law firm that protects and advances the rights of the most underserved—leveling the playing field and ensuring that everyone can have access to the justice system. Every year, LAFLA provides free, high-quality legal services to more than 100,000 people living in poverty across Greater Los Angeles. Our unique combination of neighborhood offices, self-help centers at courthouses, and domestic violence clinics puts LAFLA on the front lines in vulnerable communities, and at the forefront of change.
