Stew Jenkins
The two attorneys who were awarded fees for their suit against the city of San Luis Obispo for unconstitutional treatment of the homeless, rejected the city’s request that they donate half the money to a local charity.
On Wednesday, the city sent the request offering not to appeal the $133,880 fee judgment if attorneys Saro Rizzo and Stew Jenkins agreed to donate half of their hourly pay in the civil suit to San Luis Obispo Community Action Partnership.
Shortly after receiving the request, the attorneys rejected the city’s attempt to have them donate to a charity in which San Luis Obispo City Councilman John Ashbaugh sits on the board.
“That request was rejected,” Jenkins said. “A proposed form of judgment incorporating the superior court’s order that the city pay the SLO Homeless Alliance lawyers private attorney general fees was subsequently delivered to the city attorney.”
Nevertheless, Rizzo and Jenkins donated their services while defending homeless clients in the criminal matters related to sleeping in vehicles, which at their regular rate would come to approximately $60,000, and they are not requesting reimbursement.
