About me
Brooke Weitzman (she/her) is the Executive Director of The Elder Law and Disability Rights Center (ELDR Center). As a civil rights attorney, she represents communities that would not otherwise have access to a lawyer. Weitzman helped to reduce the criminalization of poverty through litigation and advocacy—including a landmark 2018 federal civil rights case. Since founding ELDR she works to fill the justice gap with a unique approach to legal services. Committed to ending barriers to housing her work forced local governments to rethink their approach to the housing crisis and prioritize evidence-based solutions. Weitzman's litigation has saved lives by directly increasing services and housing while promoting access for residents.
Weitzman sits on the American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness and Poverty working to bring national best practices to Homeless Outreach Court. In 2018 the OC Register co-named her the most influential person in Orange County and by 2022 she was featured in "Orange Coast" magazine's cover story, "Kickass Women". Her work has been recognized by organizations from shelters and housing developers to local and national bar associations. Brooke assisted the Orange County Bar Association to distribute thousands of meals to those in need during the pandemic. Between legal work and community collaborations, Brooke regularly invests time to speak at events to help people participate in evidence-based solutions to the housing crisis.