Angelenos urge City Council to extend StayHoused LA contract as ICE activity drives demand

Dozens of tenants, community-based organizations and legal-service providers pressed the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday to extend and fully fund the StayHoused LA contract to avoid a service lapse that speakers said would begin July 1.

The plea came during the council’s public-comment period, where renters described lost work, evictions and fear tied to recent immigration enforcement operations and asked the council to ensure continuity for eviction defense, rental assistance and “know your rights” outreach.

StayHoused LA is the city’s collaboration of legal services providers and community-based organizations that provide eviction defense, rental assistance navigation and tenant education. Speakers said the program is implementing the city’s newly passed right-to-counsel ordinance and that Measure ULA was adopted by voters to fund the effort.

“My name is Matthew Carson. I am asking that you support and have them sign the contract for StayHoused LA. I have benefited from it and am still benefiting from it at this present time. I'm facing eviction, and I do not want to become part of the…