In partnership with Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) and the Stanford Community Law Clinic, Legal Aid SMC recently commissioned an eviction report to study residential unlawful detainer filings (evictions) in San Mateo County in 2019 and 2023. This report examines evictions in the years before and after COVID-related protections were in place in San Mateo County. The findings reveal that evictions have returned to pre-pandemic levels among other concerning trends:
A 35% increase in the number of evictions filed in 2023 compared to 2019
A 20% drop in the number of tenants that had legal representation to help them deal with their eviction notice, with less than 5% of tenants in 2023 receiving legal representation
A 10% increase in eviction cases where the plaintiff was a corporate landlord, which now represent 75% of the eviction cases in San Mateo County
“This report highlights a growing need not only for more funding, but for a systemic response. Legal Aid SMC’s housing attorneys now handle hundreds of housing matters each year, which without sufficient funding or long-term change, is not sustainable to deliver meaningful, high-quality support for all of those in need. Closing the justice gap will take deeper partnerships, smarter policy, and a long-term commitment to tenant protections in San Mateo County.” -Assad H. Rajani, Legal Aid SMC Board President
