Project Sentinel

The Project Sentinel for the City of Santa Clara doesn't help landlord at all. I got their number by the Gilroy project Sentinel. I left a phone message on 12/20/2022 asking for help with eviction case for landlord. I got a *69 call back on January 5, 2023. She told me that they don't give legal advice. She told me to go buy a Nolo landlord book to do the eviction. I just want People to know that this company Pretend to help people, so they will get government grants. However, they don't reall help landlord at all. I wish that there is a government website who will monitor these Non profit organizations who claim that they help people, but they don't do Nothing Good for people at all. They shouldn't receive Government grants. They are Fraud!!

I am a mortgage loan officer. A client got counseling from them for a loan. They never gave her the certificate she needed and after trying to reach anyone at the agency, VM, email and text. No one responded. They only get one start because they can't get less. Avoid working with them. If you look them up under Milpitas Project Sentinel you will find all the reviews are one star.

I had a very difficult time obtaining my security deposit once I moved out. To make matters even more difficult, I moved to another city and state and the landlord would not acknowledge my calls. I was referred to Project Sentinel and Maria J contacted me and advised me steps I could take and get my refund. On the first run, I sent the landlord a certified letter which the postal service could never deliver as the landlord would not be home. As I got busy with work and a month passed, Maria contacted me again asking me if I had received my deposit. At this point I was already busy with work and given up on my deposit, but because of her call, I went again to the post office and this time sent the landlord a priority mail envelope with my letter and a flyer that Maria sent me about the CA law stating that security deposit must be returned. The priority mail envelope got delivered into the landlord's mailbox with tracking showing as delivered and within a week I received my deposit!

At least they exist is the best I can say. Not impressed due to the fact that the information was not presented in any way that made me feel that I was armed to fight my issue. I have had to obtain information from various tenant rights groups in other areas, Hudson County NJ and New York City. Not only was there an abundance of information but they actually treated it as a case and did followup. Not this place. Maybe my issue was not severe enough or maybe it was due to the fact that I was not facing homelessness, I have no idea. Get an attorney if you can afford it. However, there are few attorneys that take tenant cases much less cases where there isn't punitive damages. All in all, being a tenant sucks in Santa Clara County, especially Santa Clara, can't wait to leave.

Only had one dealing with them. They took a couple of days to respond to me but after that queuing period, I got some decent responses from various people in their organisation. They provide some clear avenues for tenants who are having issues with their landlords. Projects like this make it easy when you move to different cities / counties and having to deal with variations with laws about rentals. – It is good to have early conversations with the right people so you don’t have to take your landlord to small claims court over issues that fall into the realm of grey area until you argue your side to the judge better than the landlord could.

When I finish my graduate degree and pull in the big bucks, I will be making donations to these guys. I live a simple life. My apartment has nobody comming and going except my close family that come to visit and stay occasionally. No complaints in four years. Then, boom. I get a pair of three day notices in subsequent weeks with no explanation. My landlord must have a new manager in charge looking to shakeup things to make it look like they are doing someing more than the last one. Project Sentinel gave me good solid talking points to take to my landlord. I have been talking with my landlord and while I don't see how this will work for me, I did get a clear picture of what my landlord wants they have an open larger apartment they can't fill but can't say that to me... but they clearly want me to move into it.

Comparing to other South Bay cities, Los Gatos does not have a good tenant protection laws. They have a rent control ordinance, but that's it. No Cause Evictions and involuntary displacement of residents are totally permissible and are a commonplace with no consequences for landlords. The city of Los Gatos enlists the services of Project Sentinel to handle all of their tenant/landlord related matters. When you call the city they just direct you to Project Sentinel. Now, while Project Sentinel might be a good resource for someone living in an affordable housing apartment, they will not lift a finger for someone who pays market rent in Los Gatos. Bottom line and something for everyone to be aware of, as a market rent tenant, you have no protections against no cause evictions and involuntary displacement if you choose to live and rent in Los Gatos. In this very difficult housing environment, it is very disappointing to see that city governments and organizations like Project Sentinel do nothing to protect market rent tenants against no cause evictions.

These people are a non-profit agency. They are wonderful! They helped us a few years ago with my grandfather's estate. Someone dies and certain family members forget that there are other family members involved that are still breathing...blinded by greed. ..and so my short story is that Project Sentinel mediated, wrote letters and and was able to get the "money hungry" siblings to give proper notice, which allowed my mother time to adjust to losing her mother and home, and find a place to live. The staff Zoe was professional, knowledgeable and nice and free! Thank you Project Sentinel.

The so called intake counselor, Jenny, who I spoke with was rude and judgmental. She took an attitude in favor of the individuals who have been discriminating against us and basically attempted to force us to defend ourselves to the very organization who is supposed to be doing just that in the whole 2 minutes she allowed for the conversation. She had very poor listening skills and a large ego. A deadly combination. From our experience this is a worthless organization unless you fit the specific protected classes they are clearly looking to gather numbers clients from. Specific, pre-determined protected classes for purposes of reporting to their donors. They themselves are discriminating.

Paul Hebert, case manager is supurb as he offered advice before our meeting. Never have I encountered such politiness.