About Tenant Eviction Defense

Tenant Eviction Defense is an IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit public charity, incorporated in the State of California. Our Federal Employer Identification Number is 41-3105953.

We were founded for one purpose: to ensure that California renters facing eviction can get the information, resources, and guidance they need to understand their rights and navigate the eviction process. Each year, tens of thousands of California tenants lose their homes — not because they had no defense, but because they did not know their rights, did not understand the process, or did not know where to turn. We exist to change that.

We serve tenants throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County. Our office is at 610 Newport Center Drive, Suite 250, Newport Beach, CA 92660. We answer the phone Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at (657) 510-6534.

California faces a housing-affordability and eviction crisis that reaches hundreds of thousands of renters every year. Rising rents and economic instability have left many tenants struggling to keep stable housing for themselves and their families.

When a landlord files an unlawful detainer lawsuit, the tenant is pulled into a legal process with short deadlines and severe consequences. A tenant served with an unlawful detainer summons generally has 10 court days to file a written response, under California Code of Civil Procedure § 1167 as amended by Assembly Bill 2347 (effective January 1, 2025). A tenant who misses that deadline can have a default judgment for eviction entered against them — a judgment that may appear on a credit report, make it far harder to rent again, and end with the Sheriff removing the tenant from the home.

The harm reaches past the loss of a home. Families are displaced, children change schools, and individuals are pushed closer to homelessness. Often, the difference between losing a home and having a chance to defend it comes down to one thing: knowing your rights and understanding what steps to take. We are committed to putting that knowledge within reach of every Southern California tenant facing eviction.