Housing Justice Clinic
The UCLA Housing Justice Clinic defends and promotes the rights of tenants and others in vulnerable housing situations. The Clinic partners with tenant unions and community organizations to select cases based on their assessment of need and potential impact. Selected cases may include, but are not limited to, unlawful detainer (eviction) cases and affirmative cases to challenge unsafe living conditions or discriminatory housing practices. Once a case has been selected, law students work directly with individual clients to handle all aspects of their cases under the supervision of a licensed attorney.
In alignment with the Housing Justice Clinic’s goal of making systemic changes to Los Angeles’ housing landscape, the Clinic also supports community organizations with policy advocacy, strategy, and legal research. Community organizations interested in partnering with the Housing Justice Clinic on projects should contact HJC@law.ucla.edu.
See also: UCLA Law launches Housing Justice Clinic and welcomes Matthew Nickell as its director
*Please note that the UCLA Housing Justice Clinic does not accept eviction cases from the general public at this time. If you are at risk of losing your housing and need assistance with an eviction case, please see the “Other Resources” section below.
Mission Statement
The UCLA Housing Justice Clinic mobilizes law students to defend tenants, combat displacement, and advance housing equity across Los Angeles County. Through community-based legal advocacy, the clinic engages in litigation and collaborates with tenant unions and community organizations to build tenant power, protect homes, and push for a future where housing security is a reality for all. By doing this work, law students obtain practical litigation skills and learn how to advance social change by empowering vulnerable communities and supporting the work of non-lawyer partners.
Other Resources
The UCLA Housing Justice Clinic has limited capacity and does not accept eviction cases from the general public at this time. However, if you received an eviction notice and are a low-income tenant living in Los Angeles County, you may be eligible for free legal representation through Stay Housed LA.
Click here to apply for legal help or call the Stay Housed LA hotline at (888) 694-0040.
Click here for general information on the eviction process and additional resources.
More Information
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Course Information
The Housing Justice Clinic works with communities that have the most significant housing needs. It teaches students how to be effective litigators by defending tenants in fast-moving eviction cases. Students also learn how to promote goals beyond individual lawsuits through close cooperation with organizers and other partners under a community-lawyering model.
Weekly seminars teach students about the housing landscape in LA County, the nuts and bolts of eviction cases, different legal tools and models of change relevant to housing advocacy, and ethical and professionalism issues that arise in housing work.
UCLA Law students interested in enrolling in the Housing Justice Clinic (LAW 734) can review the full course details here.
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Faculty
The inaugural director of the Housing Justice Clinic is Matthew Nickell, a civil rights and legal aid attorney who joined the law school in 2025 from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Contact Information
For general inquiries about the Housing Justice Clinic, please email HJC@law.ucla.edu. Please note that we are unable to respond to requests for legal advice at this time.
