Lawsuit Challenges Department of Education’s Presumptive Denial of Debt Relief to Vulnerable Student Loan Borrowers Harmed by For-Profit School Fraud
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Miguel Cardona, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The complaint alleges that the Department presumptively denies loan cancellations to vulnerable low-income borrowers who have not earned high school diplomas, even when they provide sufficient evidence to show that their schools falsely certified their eligibility for financial aid.
LAFLA Helps Cantonese Speaker Obtain Unemployment Benefits
“I am very grateful to LAFLA for helping me restore my EDD benefits. It means a lot to me that I can use the money to pay my rent and continue to live. Thank you, LAFLA, for all the help you have given me.” Michael, LAFLA Client Michael (not his real name), a Cantonese speaking […]
Black History Month
Racial justice is at the core of our fight for equal justice, as poverty is inextricably linked with racism.
Helping Workers Receive the Benefits They Are Due
Millions of workers across the nation have lost their jobs throughout the pandemic. In California, people have faced multiple obstacles in applying for jobless claims and receiving the money they are due. “The state’s Employment Development Department (EDD) has had a tremendous backlog in claims and appeals since the start of the pandemic,” said Yolanda […]
This Black History Month
Dear Friends and Supporters of LAFLA, This Black History Month we honor, celebrate, and reflect for many reasons. Still in the throes of the worst pandemic in decades, we mourn the loss of our Black brothers and sisters who have disproportionately suffered from deaths, job losses, and health disparities because of COVID-19 and systemic racism. […]
Court of Appeal Says California Must Replace Electronically Stolen Food Benefits
Decision reverses lower court ruling; says Department of Social Services is responsible for replacing food benefits stolen from Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card holders Los Angeles, CA — The California Court of Appeal has ruled that the Department of Social Services must replace CalFresh benefits (formerly “food stamps”) when they are electronically stolen from recipients. […]
L.A. Man Sues City After Car Towed and Sold Over Two Parking Tickets
Car Auctioned Despite Man’s Participation in Community Assistance Parking Program LOS ANGELES, October 17, 2019 — A person experiencing homelessness, Joseph Safuto, has sued the City of Los Angeles, challenging the city’s practice of towing vehicles as a mechanism for collecting debt – in this case two unpaid parking tickets that resulted in a lapsed […]
County Program for Poorest of Poor Discriminates Against Mentally and Developmentally Disabled
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 18, 2015) — Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Social Services fails to accommodate the most vulnerable — mentally or developmentally disabled homeless people applying for subsistence benefits under General Relief. Not only are those who need help the most not receiving it, the bureaucratic system and complicated application process also violate […]
