Residents, tenant advocates urge council to extend tenant legal-services contract as ICE raids rattle neighborhoods and schools

Residents, legal-aid providers and tenant advocates used public comment during the Los Angeles City Council meeting to press elected officials to extend and fully fund the city’s tenant legal-services contract — cited repeatedly by speakers as “State House” — and to address what they described as immediate harms from recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

Speakers said the contract faces a lapse and that a break in funding, which several commenters said could begin July 1, would end services that help tenants fight evictions and obtain housing assistance. They described students and families too frightened to attend school, missed graduations and declining turnout at community events.

The requests are tied to the council’s April approval of a right-to-counsel ordinance, which speakers said requires timely funding and contract implementation so tenants can access legal representation. Commenters urged the council to extend current contracts for one year and to fully finance the program now, saying shorter extensions or pauses would prevent community organizations from opening or completing eviction cases.

"Las calles están vacías, la gente tiene miedo de salir de sus casas y caminar a la escuela, caminar al trabajo, tomar el autobús," said Adrián Esqueda in Spanish, describing conditions in South Los Angeles and asking the council to consider extra services, legal help and food…