Fraudulent Bankruptcies

The informative article fails to consider an important factor in the proliferation of phony, unscrupulous tenant advocates. The appearance of these offices in the early 1980s coincides with the beginning of the drastic decline in funding for the legitimate tenant advocates such as the Legal Aid Foundation and the smaller, community-based Tenant Action Council founded at our agency in East Los Angeles.

Adequate funding of organizations that protect both tenant and landlord would deprive these bogus public defenders of clients willing to pay high fees for their services. During the 10-year history of the Eastmont Tenant Action Council, which ended in 1982, no client was charged for counsel in the area of tenant rights.

REV. DOUGLAS W. SMITH

Executive Director

Eastmont Community Center, Los Angeles