Agency Details:

Legal Assistance for Seniors

Ensuring the independence and dignity of seniors by protecting their legal rights through education, counseling, and advocacy.

Description:
Legal Assistance for Seniors provides free legal services to people 60 years of age or older throughout Alameda County. Services are available in 20 different languages and are accessible to persons with disabilities. LAS staff meets with groups for education presentations and individuals for one-on-one assistance. Home visits can be arranged for those who cannot travel.

History:
Legal Assistance for Seniors was founded in 1976 by three women who re-entered the workforce with the goal of protecting seniors legal rights.
Today, LAS protects the dignity and independence of over 8,000 seniors each year.
• The agency began as a storefront office in downtown Oakland, with the mission of promoting the independence and dignity of Alameda County seniors by providing legal services to assure life’s most basic needs.
• LAS obtained its first federal funding in 1978, and became incorporated as a private nonprofit organization in 1984.
• In 1988, recognizing the need to provide seniors with assistance in understanding the complex rules governing Medicare and other health insurance programs, the agency began offering the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) as part of its services.
• In 2000, the agency expanded its service base to include limited legal assistance to HICAP clients in Contra Costa County.
• In 2005, the agency began offering limited legal assistance to HICAP clients in San Francisco County.
Legal Assistance for Seniors serves clients at locations throughout Alameda County
Today, LAS is the only legal services program in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties devoted exclusively to assisting the elderly. Since its founding, LAS has served clients at locations throughout Alameda County in addition to its office in Oakland - meeting with groups at senior centers and housing developments for educational presentations and individual assistance, and making home visits to those who cannot travel.

Contact people:

Michael Morell, Operations Manager, (phone), (email) Francel D'Andrea, Executive Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (510) 987-7399

Address:

464 7th Street Oakland, CA 94607 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.lashicap.org

Directions:

We are located on 7th Street between Broadway and Washington Street just across from the Oakland Police Station.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 12th Street Bart Station,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5   Nearest Bus Stop: AC Transet 72 Line, 5 minute walk

Last updated on October 28, 2009