November 1984 - DC voters overwhelmingly support Initiative 17, establishing a "right to shelter" in the District, the first statutory right to shelter in the nation
Summer 1985 - DC attorney David Crosland convenes the Ad Hoc Committee for the Homeless under the auspices of the DC Bar
December 1985 - First recruitment session for volunteer lawyers, held at the DC Bar.
1986 - Pro Bono lawyers begin to serve four pilot intake sites, supported by volunteers Gloria Flanagan and Faye Williams
Summer 1986 - DC Bar Foundation makes first grant to support the pilot project of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Homeless. The DC Bar, through both Bar leadership (Judge Paul L. Friedman was then-President of the DC Bar) as well as its Office of Public Service Activities (now the DC Bar Pro Bono Program), lends its full support to the project
Fall 1986 -The project hires first staff person, Susie Sinclair-Smith, as coordinator
May 1987 - The pilot project becomes the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, an independently incorporated non-profit organization. Mental Health Law Project (now the Bazelon Center) served as fiscal sponsor until tax-exempt status was granted
1987 - DC Bar wins the Harrison Tweed Award for its role in launching WLCH
Fall 1987 - GULC students, led by Jeff Schwaber, hatch the idea to hold a basketball game pitting Members of Congress against Georgetown Law Faculty to raise money for a homeless charity
1987 - Legal Clinic moves from DC Bar PSA's office to space donated by Pettit & Martin
1987 - DC council passes law requiring that homeless families be sheltered in an apartment-style setting rather than in run-down motels (the "Crawford Legislation")
March 1988 - First Home Court game raises $42,000 for WLCH
1989 - Judge Harriet Taylor finds DC shelters to be "horrendous" and "virtual hell-holes" in Atchison vs. Barry, brought by Howrey & Simon
1990 - Shea & Gardner "adopts" the Legal Clinic from Pettit & Martin and provides office space to the growing program
June 1990 - Then-Mayor Marion Barry signs law repealing the District's Right to Shelter
July 1990 - Anti-homelessness activist Mitch Snyder dies
October 1990 - Judge Richard Levie finds the District's family shelter system out of compliance with DC law in Fountain vs. Barry, brought by O'Melveny & Myers
November 1990 - Advocates' attempt to reverse the repeal of the District's Right to Shelter fails when Referendum 005 lost by a 51% - 49% vote in the general election
December 1990 - Franklin vs. Barry is filed by Crowell & Moring, challenging the District's failure to process emergency food stamps in compliance with the law
1992 - WLCH joins with Hogan & Hartson in filing Little vs. Barry, challenging the District's scaling back of the General Public Assistance Program, which provided cash support to individuals with disabilities
April 1993 - WLCH receives a Commendation from President Clinton in his Volunteer Action Awards Program
1993 - WLCH vs. Kelly is filed by Howrey & Simon, challenging illegalities in the District's family shelter intake system and seeking to protect counsel's right of access to their clients
1993 - WLCH joins with Covington & Burling to file Pearson vs. Kelly, challenging the unlawful operation of the District's public housing program.
1993 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announces the "DC Initiative," a partnership with the District government and local non-profit organizations to pilot the development of a "Continuum of Care" shelter system
November 1993 - WLCH issues "Cold, Harsh and Unending Resistance: The District of Columbia Government's Hidden War Against its Poor and its Homeless," which chronicles the utter breakdown of government services and programs for low income DC residents.
November 1993 - Yetta Adams dies homeless in a bus shelter in front of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
1994 - Judge Steffan Graae orders the DC public housing program placed into receivership (Pearson); the District appeals
Summer 1994 - The Legal Clinic co-convenes advocates and service providers who unite to challenge unfair budget cuts in the wake of the District financial crisis. This effort becomes the Fair Budget Coalition
August 1994 - The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness issues its Operational Plan for Year 1 of the DC Initiative
Late 1994 - The Legal Clinic testifies before Congress regarding the impact of DC's financial crisis on residents of DC who are homeless
1994 - WLCH helps to establish Campaign for New Community, a multi-faceted advocacy effort to break down the barriers created by neighborhood opposition to the siting of programs for people who are poor, homeless or disabled
1995 - Legal Clinic expands to include an outreach component and intensifies efforts to provide assistance during hypothermic conditions
1995 - Financial Control Board appointed to take over management of the District
1995 - Fair Budget Coalition and other community groups seek to have "Declaration of Emergency" in the District because of the shredded social safety net and palpable suffering of DC's low income residents
Spring 1995 - David Gilmore becomes receiver of the DC Housing Authority (Pearson)
1996 - District repeals local Emergency Assistance and General Public Assistance programs
Fall 1996 - The Legal Clinic expands our work with homeless families
December 1996 - Mental Health department placed into receivership
1997 - Legal Clinic convenes the Welfare Advocates Group to participate in, and monitor, welfare reform efforts in the District
1998 - District abolishes the Tenant Assistance Program, a locally-funded rent subsidy program serving low-income DC residents
1998 - DC Initiative ends; WLCH continues to push for reforms concerning the management of homeless services
1998 - WLCH begins training of Metropolitan Police recruits on issue of homelessness
1999 - WLCH and Fair Budget Coalition sponsor Campaign for a Just and Inclusive Community, whose Creed of Justice and Inclusion was adopted by 300+ community organizations and District residents
1999 - WLCH joins with Akin Gump to file Hackett vs. JMC Associates on behalf of more than 200 mental health consumers whose benefits had been stolen by a Department of Mental Health contractor
March 2000 - WLCH convenes advocates to challenge District's proposed condemnations of Columbia Heights apartment buildings housing low-income immigrants
June 2000 - Mayor Williams establishes Homeless Advisory Group
2000 - DC Housing Authority comes out of receivership
2000 - Legal Clinic launches a Welfare Hotline to provide assistance to recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
October 2000 - WLCH begins to publish and distribute "Listen Up," a monthly newsletter for our client community
December 2000 - Mayor Williams abandons Homeless Advisory Group and establishes Continuum of Care Work Group
December 23, 2000 - Jesus Blanco dies homeless on the street, just steps away from
La Casa Shelter
Fall 2002 - Legal Clinic establishes Affordable Housing Initiative to intensify efforts to preserve and expand affordable housing for the lowest income District residents
January 2003 - Mayor Williams abandons Continuum of Care Work Group and establishes a Focus Group on Access to Housing for Homeless and Very Low Income City Residents
2003 - Legal Clinic, along with So Others Might Eat, successfully co-leads community advocacy to establish the Interim Disability Assistance Program
2003 - Housing Production Trust Fund becomes vital tool for development of affordable housing for low-income DC residents
Fall 2003 - Legal Clinic expands advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities who seek access to shelter and housing
November 2003 - The Public Welfare Foundation provides a new home to the Legal Clinic, inviting us into their True Reformer Building in the Shaw neighborhood of DC
Spring 2004 - District government closes Gales Shelter; begins trend of siting shelters in remote locations towards the fringes of the city
Late 2004 - Agreement reached in Hackett vs. JMC Associates to compensate mental health consumers for theft of funds
December 2004 - DC Court of Appeals establishes the DC Access to Justice Commission to aid in breaking down the barriers that prevent low-income and isolated communities from accessing civil legal assistance
January 2005 - Mayor Williams issues "Homeless No More," his administration's 10 year plan to end homelessness
July 2005 - Mayor Williams signs into law the Homeless Services Reform Act, which revamps the legislative framework of the District's homeless shelter and services system, establishing an Interagency Council on Homelessness and setting out client rights and responsibilities as well as provider standards
September 2005 - Legal Clinic joins with DC Bar Pro Bono Program and Hogan & Hartson to coordinate the Katrina Relief Clinic, to provide legal services to people who relocated to the District from the devastated Gulf Coast
Fall 2005 - Legal Clinic expands efforts to assist homeless children and youth; supports homeless parents' advocacy efforts as they form SASS (Self-Advocacy, Support and Solutions)
October 2005 - Then-Councilmember Fenty holds unprecedented hearing at DC Village family shelter to get feedback from residents on the quality of services and supports
Winter 2005 - District government closes Randall Shelter
2006 - Legal Clinic participates in Fair Budget Coalition and Affordable Housing Alliance's successful efforts to establish publicly-funded Emergency Assistance and Rent Supplement programs
Spring 2006 - District government renews threats to close Franklin Shelter
Summer 2006 - Residents of Franklin Shelter form the "Committee to Save Franklin Shelter" to oppose the scheduled closing of the facility
Fall 2006 - Legal Clinic expands our grass roots advocacy efforts to support our clients as they use their voices to speak in the public debates that impact their lives
October 2006 - Deputy Mayor announces that Franklin will remain open and in the homeless services inventory
November/December 2006 - Legal Clinic co-convenes the Homelessness Work Group of the Fenty Transition team
December 2006 - WLCH co-leads coalition to advocate for greater accessibility to government services for people with disabilities; the Disability Rights Protection Act becomes law
January 2007 - Mayor Adrian Fenty declares that addressing the needs of people who are homeless is a top priority of his administration
2007- The Legal Clinic launches Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative advocating for the transition of the District of Columbia's homeless services system from one that emphasizes emergency shelter, to one that focuses on providing permanent supportive housing options for people who have struggled with homelessness.
December 10, 2008 - Justice Department makes settlement on housing accessibility after numerous complaints about the District's widespread violations of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into a settlement agreement with the District to improve the accessibility of emergency homeless shelters for people with disabilities. It is the first large-scale enforcement effort by DOJ in the nation intended to protect the civil rights of people experiencing homelessness.
2009- WLCH launches Veteran's Initiative which provides direct legal representation to Veteran's particularly in the areas of benefits and housing.
2010- WLCH expands Veteran's Initiative through partnership with the Legal Aid Society of DC, Arent Fox LLP and McDermott Will & Emery. The project will engage in outreach, client education, advice and representation.
