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The Louisiana Bar Foundation is one of 12 recipients of an American Bar Endowment Opportunity Grant  (ABE) which address the unmet legal needs of the underserved communities around the country.  LBF will receive a $22,000 grant to launch Good Repair, a web-based application for Louisiana renters experiencing housing habitability problems, especially common after disasters. Tenants will use the app to learn about their repair options, create legally compliant requests for repairs to their landlords, and be guided through the process of deducting from their rent the cost of necessary repairs they made on their own. The app will also provide referrals to local legal resources.

“We are thankful to ABE for this grant which will enhance our focus on expanded services to those served by civil legal aid organizations by providing new tools and resources in underserved communities throughout Louisiana,” says Alan Brackett, LBF President.

Good Repair will be supported by Lagniappe Law Lab long-term as an extension of the Louisiana Civil Legal Navigator program. The Louisiana Civil Legal Navigator program is a project of Lagniappe Law Lab and the Louisiana Bar Foundation and is the cornerstone public-facing legal information project of the Louisiana Access to Justice Commission.

 “Louisiana renters often find themselves on the losing side of unsafe or undesirable living conditions – especially after natural disasters. Unfortunately, many people fail to use the proper procedure attempting to resolve the issues on their own, leaving them vulnerable to eviction,” says Amanda Brown, Lagniappe Law Lab Executive Director. “With Good Repair, renters will learn their rights and be supported through Louisiana’s “Repair and Deduct” process from start to finish, leveling the playing field between landlords and their tenants.”

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Louisiana Bar Foundation is the state’s largest funder of civil legal aid. We partner with a trusted network of more than 70 organizations that lead community driven efforts to help families facing non-criminal, civil legal challenges. Our goal is to make sure that all Louisianans, regardless of their background or income level, have access to civil legal services that they need.