The ALA has helped tens of thousands of people in obtaining decent housing, justice in the immigration process, and access to basic human and legal rights. Today, Asian/Pacific Islanders continue to be denied fundamental rights. The ALA continues to keep its doors open for those individuals who are limited in English, who do not understand the legal system, who cannot afford legal fees, and who face the reality of discrimination. The ALA traces its origin to 1975, when several of the founding members began to investigate the possibility of starting a community law office similar to the Asian Law Caucus, which had been founded in Oakland in 1972. After discovering that a range of legal needs was not being addressed in the growing Asian Pacific American community, the founding members agreed that it was necessary to establish a community law office to provide individual legal assistance, community legal education, and community advocacy. Office space was donated by the San Jose JACL, and the ALA began taking its own cases in January 1977.