Legal Services for Seniors’ (LSS) mission is to provide no-cost legal services to seniors 60+ years of age with an emphasis on those who are socially, economically needy throughout Monterey County. For 38 years, LSS has served Monterey County’s elders with direct legal representation, community outreach events and workshops. We have assisted over 162,000 seniors since our founding in 1985.
Protecting seniors from physical and financial abuse, unscrupulous business practices and income-threatening governmental bureaucracy has been our mission. We offer a no-cost legal representation by licensed California attorneys to Monterey County's low-and very low-income seniors. Clients live in our county’s small cities and rural areas; most reach out to us when they are facing a life crisis: financial and physical abuse, landlord-tenant conflicts, Medicare, Medi-Cal and private insurance issues, Social Security problems, consumer frauds, scams, and identity theft, probate guardianships (of minor children), Wills & Advance Health Care Directives.
We offer many workshops throughout our region to inform residents of salient legal issues and to address their individual concerns. We offered “Tips of the Week” in local print and radio media to alert everyone about current legal issues they may be experiencing or may confront. We will now list these tips on our lssmc.net website.
Donna and Mr. Baker contacted Legal Services for Seniors for assistance after salespersons came to Mr. Baker’s home selling solar panels, telling him that that his PG&E bills would be reduced. The salesperson falsified Mr. Baker’s signature on electronic loan documents and a home improvement contract. Solar panels were installed on Mr. Baker’s roof, a loan for over $39,000 was initiated, and a lien was placed on his home. Mr. Baker never agreed to a loan or home improvement contract. The loan documents and the contract for the panels were not provided to Mr. Baker. He became aware of the loan only after receiving a bill from the lender. LSS worked with Mr. Baker and Donna to retrieve the falsified documents and demand that the loan for over $39,000 be cancelled. LSS was successful, the loan company agreed to cancel the loan, remove the lien, and restore Mr. Baker’s credit.
- Joe Baker
