The San Francisco Public Defender's Office testified before Judge Dorfman that their caseloads have increased due to the city's tougher-on-crime approach, resulting in more complex and time-consuming litigation, and that the office's declaration of unavailability was necessary to protect the constitutional rights of clients and maintain compliance with the Sixth Amendment's guarantee of effective assistance of counsel.
The Davis City Council has sent a clear message that the Village Farms project will not move forward unless it delivers firm, enforceable commitments on affordable housing, housing mix, farmland restoration, and transparency.
One year after California voters passed Proposition 36, Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo Garcia has warned that the measure has failed to address the root causes of addiction and poverty, and has instead led to increased incarceration and racial inequities in the justice system.
The Coalition on Homelessness is calling on the city of San Francisco to halt the towing and displacement of RV residents, as the city's RV parking ban went into effect on November 1st and the Large Vehicle Refuge Permit Program has been plagued with bureaucratic issues.