Category: Advocacy

Here is a copy of the permanent legislation that Mr. Wells introduced on Tuesday.  To listen to the statement that he made when he withdrew the emergency version of the bill, click here.  There will be a hearing on November 8, 2010 at 11:30a.m.  We are currently reviewing the language and will update the blog with a more substantive post soon.  In the meantime check out Kathryn Baer’s blog post on this issue. Read more…

By Nassim Moshiree, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Staff Attorney Responding to the community’s concerns, Councilmember Wells pulled the emergency bill at yesterday’s legislative meeting.  In its stead, he has introduced a permanent version of the legislation that he said he will move quickly through the Council process.  Co-sponsors of his new bill (B18-1059) include Councilmembers Catania, Bowser, and Michael Brown.  Mr. Wells’ stated reasons for pulling the emergency bill are to ensure greater discussion on this issue and to prevent unintended consequences.  From the dais yesterday, Mr. Wells correctly raised the concern that the city is facing a… Read more…

By Nassim Moshiree, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Staff Attorney Contact your Councilmember NOW and Ask Them to Vote “NO” on the “Homeless Services Reform Amendment Act of 2010.” Background: Councilmember Wells plans to introduce as emergency a bill that will significantly change the District’s obligation to provide life saving emergency shelter.  The vote on this bill is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning, October 19, 2010 at 10:00am. There has been no community input.  At the very least, this should not be emergency legislation. The Proposed Bill: Requires verification of DC residency during emergency conditions that many DC… Read more…

By Ann Marie Staudenmaier, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Staff Attorney NOTE: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, has scheduled a hearing entitled “Crimes Against America’s Homeless: Is the Violence Growing?” for Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. It’s open season these days in Georgetown, and I’m not talking about the federal health plans.  Instead, the specter of anti-homeless police activity is rearing its ugly head in one of D.C.’s top tourist destinations once again, just as it did more than 10 years ago… Read more…

By Andy Silver, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Staff Attorney Imagine that you have lived in the same apartment for 12 years. One day you go to the rental office to ask if you can pay your rent a few days late because you get one check at the beginning of the month and one check in the middle. You have asked for this favor several times before and it has always been granted, but this time the new property manager says she just needs to check to see if you are current in rent before she can say… Read more…