PILP Staff Attorney Lauren Hansen and Bay Area Legal Aid Supervising Attorney Jessica Mark successfully defended against the City’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings in Johnny Murray et al. v. City and County of San Francisco in San Francisco Superior Court. This case challenges the City and County’s failure to provide adequate notice and hearing rights and the City’s unlawful practice of making illusory shelter offers in order to reduce the amount of cash aid provided from $714 a month to $72 a month.

The court issued a strong ruling largely denying the City’s motion for judgment on the pleadings and allowing the vast majority of our clients’ claims to move forward, preserving core challenges to how San Francisco administers general relief cash assistance for thousands of unhoused and extremely low-income residents.

“The City tried to silence this case before the evidence could be heard. The Court said no. Low-income people are being denied basic rights and forced into impossible choices every day, and this ruling clears the way to expose what is happening and hold government accountable for the harm it is causing.” – Jessica Mark, Supervising Attorney at Bay Area Legal Aid.

“Rather than resolving the issues raised in this case and ensuring that people receiving public benefits are afforded due process, the City chose to pursue a motion that the Court largely rejected. We hope the City will reconsider its approach and work toward a resolution that meaningfully addresses these important concerns.” – Lauren Hansen, The Public Interest Law Project.

"This ruling to allow the case to move forward is a powerful testament to the power of due process, and especially critical in our continued advocacy for equal rights for people temporarily unhoused." – Jodie Berger,  Western Center on Law & Poverty.  

Petitioners are represented by Bay Area Legal Aid, The Public Interest Law Project, and Western Center on Law & Poverty.

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