State Bar announces foreclosure prevention and community redevelopment legal services grants Thursday, February 18, 2016 Categories: News Releases Contact: Laura Ernde 415-538-2283 barcomm@calbar.ca.gov SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2016 — The State Bar is pleased to announce new grants to provide legal services that help prevent foreclosure and foster community redevelopment for low-income Californians. As part of its public protection mission, the State Bar administers funds from the legislature and private donations for civil legal services for low-income individuals and families. These grants will be possible due to one-time proceeds of $44 million from lawsuit settlements by the U.S. Department of Justice with banks. Some of the settlement money was directed to funders of civil legal services throughout the country. The settlements provide that every Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program receive funds for legal aid organizations in its jurisdiction for foreclosure prevention legal assistance and community redevelopment legal assistance. IOLTA exists in every state, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories. State Bar President David Pasternak said, “The additional resources, while greatly appreciated, are limited in terms of their ability to help low-income Californians. The limited purpose funding will not cover critical areas such as eviction, domestic violence, health care and other benefits, consumer fraud, child custody issues, immigration, and other issues of critical importance.” Additionally, he cautioned that, “This funding will not make up for the dramatic declines in revenue experienced by legal aid providers as a result of the economic recession. IOLTA, formerly a stable funding source to assist low-income Californians in need of legal help, has plummeted from a high of over $20 million in 2007 to $5 million—a decline of 75 percent.” With one of the largest poverty populations in the country, California is struggling to meet the needs of individuals and families that rely on legal aid assistance to help stabilize their families, keep children in school, protect elders from fraud and abuse, and connect veterans’ to services and benefits. Information regarding how to apply for the new grants and deadlines will be released later this year. Previous Article Next Article