Housing & Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) - Approved
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HERA is a California statewide, not-for-profit legal service and advocacy organization dedicated to helping Californians — particularly those most vulnerable — build a safe, sound financial future, free of discrimination and economic abuses, in all aspects of household financial concerns. We provide free legal services, consumer workshops, training for professionals and community organizing support, create innovative solutions and engage in policy work locally, statewide and nationally.
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Sun Wee Yun
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03-14-2019
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03-13-2024
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03-01-2025
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How To Contact
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General Contact
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610 16th St
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Suite 420
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Oakland
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CA
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More Information
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03-03-2022
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03-30-2025
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free
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0.00
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HERA
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94612
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Helpful Links
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Detailed Information
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OFFICE:
610 16th Street, Suite 420
Oakland, CA 94612
*No Drop-Ins
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 29435
Oakland, CA 94604-0091
**Upon request, reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities.
HERA does not currently have local staff on a regular basis at any location except our Oakland office. We also do not have enough staff to offer immediate assistance to someone who drops into our Oakland office. We strongly encourage you to phone or email our Oakland office to make an appointment. If you drop-in, you will probably not be served on that day, but you are welcome to leave your name and contact information for a staffer to contact you at a future time.**
Our Services
Reentry: We help people going through reentry — and their family members — build or rebuild their credit, and we teach you how to address lingering debt problems so that you get a fresh financial start.
Students, College and Debt: HERA helps you figure out the cost of college, legitimate providers, and how to pay for college. We help you manage student loan debt, whether from college or a for-profit school, and we fight predatory lending practices and scams.
Debt Collection Problems: We will coach you through the process of how to handle various kinds of debt. On all debts, you have a right to be treated properly by whoever is trying to collect. HERA teaches you your rights and protects you along the way.
Seniors: HERA helps seniors figure out how to hang onto their home and age in the community where they want to be. We also help seniors figure out how to manage all of their debts and other financial concerns.
Building Credit Safely: Everyone needs to understand how credit works and how it affects their lives. It is also important to figure out how to build or improve your credit, and how to manage it afterward. HERA helps you with that.
Veterans and Service members: Veterans and service members are targeted for financial scams and expensive credit. Veterans can also face additional burdens financially and need particular help addressing debt and credit concerns. HERA helps veterans and service members and their families handle both.
Immigrants: HERA helps immigrants understand and navigate our complex financial services systems. We also help immigrants build credit, address collections concerns and abusive practices that target them.
Homeownership Preservation: HERA helps homeowners understand their legal rights and how to hang onto their home. That includes helping owners with a condo or townhome. Homeowner Associations ("HOAs") and debt collectors for the HOA often erroneously handle homeowner accounts. This can lead to excessive costs and/or wrongful foreclosure on homeowners, particularly older adults or people with disabilities.
People of Color: People of color are targeted for abusive consumer scams and products. We help you understand your rights and address the problems you are having.
LGBTQ: LBGTQ residents are frequently denied fair acess to credit and consumer services. HERA helps you understand and fight for your rights.
Estate Planning: There is a racial and gender wealth gap in our country. HERA provides full service estate planning services on a sliding scale to help you keep what you have and protect yourself and family.
Medical Debt: California residents who are uninsured or who face high medical costs have a right to free or discounted care for services received at hospitals. If you have high medical bills or medical bills in collection, HERA can help you understand your legal rights and how to address these problems.
** California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) and HERA are currently engaged in a collaborative homeless prevention effort throughout Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. If you are a tenant in need of help, please contact HERA at 510 271-8443, ext. 300, or inquiries@heraca.org, OR, contact CRLA at 1-800-337-0690. CRLA is also leading a five-county mass record clearing campaign. If you are interested in clearing your criminal record, please contact CRLA at (805) 902-CRLA or email reentry@crla.org.**
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Eligibility Information
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- Accomack County
- Alameda County
- Contra Costa County
- Marin County
- Napa County
- Sacramento County
- San Francisco County
- San Mateo County
- Solano County
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- English
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Arabic
- Tagalog
- Russian
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Files
