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The Public Interest Law Project (“PILP”) is now in our 29th year of steadfastly fighting for a world where all people have the housing, income, supportive services, food security, and health care that they need to live with dignity. Our seasoned team of litigators, advocates, and trainers supports public interest attorneys across the state and drives essential advocacy and litigation in federal and state courts in housing, homelessness prevention, public benefits, and civil rights.

Every year, we witness the transformative power of legal services — in fortifying access to public benefits, upholding the civil rights of houseless individuals and families, staving off evictions, and preserving precious last resort housing for those who cannot afford ever escalating rents in California.

In 2024, PILP delivered landmark victories in housing and economic justice, civil rights, and fair housing, paving the way for a more equitable California. Our impact litigation continues to define crucial legal standards in state and federal courts that are instrumental to shaping a racially inclusive, equitable California. With our co-counsel, our 2024 milestones included:

• Advancing inclusive zoning and housing in Clovis: Secured enforceable commitments to rezone Clovis for 1,300 new affordable homes, establish a $1.8 million Housing Trust Fund, and to enact the first inclusionary zoning ordinance in the Central Valley.
  

• Preserving low-cost housing for mobilehome residents in San Leandro: Represented mobile home park residents in multiple lawsuits initiated by the park owner, preventing harmful rent hikes and enforcing local rent control regulations.
  

• Sponsoring legislation to strengthen state housing laws: Co-sponsored AB 2023 (Quirk-Silva), which clarifies the legal standard to challenge noncompliant housing elements in court and encourages jurisdictions to adopt stronger housing plans to meet the needs of all residents.
  

• Defending the Surplus Land Act: Successfully stopped powerful attempts to gut protections that prioritize public land for affordable housing.
  

• Continuing civil rights advocacy: Fought for the rights of unhoused individuals in San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Rosa.
  

• Fighting for fair housing protections: Ended discriminatory crime-free leasing rules in San Bernardino, protecting 26,000+ Section 8 participants and breaking down barriers for justice-impacted families seeking a fresh start.
  

• Training the next generation of public interest lawyers: Developed and widely distributed a multilingual toolkit to expand access to underutilized housing and homelessness programs, reaching qualified legal service programs, community groups, and thousands of eligible individuals.

• Launching a strategy brief for the California legal aid sector on land use and ownership in California: Unveiled data on land ownership, use, and race equity in California, spotlighting systemic challenges and legal aid efforts to advance race equity, fair housing, and civil rights in land use, ownership, and control.

PILP supports individuals and families that are deeply impacted by the shifting tides of state and federal economic and housing policies and court decisions. Our resolve deepens with each new threat.