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| AdvocacyThe FY25 Budget: Disappointments and Disinvestments
While there are a few noteworthy housing investments and D.C. Council made some progress in reducing the harm of the mayor’s original budget proposal, the final FY25 budget remains one of the most disappointing and regressive budgets for housing resources and housing justice in recent years. Read more…
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| Advocacy
There is a Better Way to Clear Encampments: Housing
The better—more humane and effective—way to respond to any concerns about encampments is to provide low barrier and accessible shelter and housing opportunities. Author: Joshua M. Drumming, Law Graduate, Policy and Advocacy Read more…
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| AdvocacyEnd the Cliff: We Must Prevent 2,200 Families from Losing Housing
Without significant investment in permanent housing resources and real reform to the broken rapid re-housing program, thousands of D.C. families will lose their housing support and likely face eviction or homelessness. Read more…
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| Advocacy2024 Funding and Reform Priorities
The Legal Clinic continues to advance advocacy that centers housing and racial justice for D.C. residents. Budget cuts and further underinvestment in human services cannot be D.C.’s response to increasing rates of homelessness, soaring housing instability, and plummeting housing affordability. Read more…
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| Advocacy
Action Alert: Tell D.C. Council to Fund New Housing Vouchers in FY24 Budget!
Despite a promise to end homelessness in D.C., the mayor’s proposed FY24 budget funds ZERO new housing vouchers. As you know, tenant vouchers are a crucial support for thousands of D.C. residents. The impact of no funding next year will be devastating for those who are unhoused/housing insecure. With such a well-resourced D.C. budget, D.C.’s […] Read more…
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| Advocacy
Mayor Bowser’s Budget Fails Unhoused D.C. Residents
Mayor Bowser’s proposed FY24 budget isn’t just tight, it is deeply and fundamentally out of balance– particularly when it comes to the needs of District residents experiencing housing instability and homelessness. Where the government has failed to follow the law or implement its programs, there is no consequence levied on the government-only on District residents. […] Read more…
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| Advocacy
2023 Funding & Reform Priorities
It’s budget season again, and the Legal Clinic continues to advocate for budgets and laws that further housing justice for D.C. residents. Along with our Fair Budget Coalition and Way Home Campaign partners*, we implore D.C. to “Meet the Needs” of all D.C. residents—particularly those who struggle the most to maintain their lives in the […] Read more…
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| Advocacy
Join Tenant Advocates in Opposing Emergency Legislation to “Reform” DC Housing Authority Board
Today, the Legal Clinic joins our legal services and tenant advocacy colleagues in urging the D.C. Council to vote no on the District of Columbia Housing Authority Stabilization and Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022. See below for the letter we sent to the Council today. Take action to urge your elected representatives to pursue […] Read more…
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| Advocacy
Real Rapid Re-Housing Reform Is Finally Within DC’s Reach!
We have long advocated for substantial reform for the rapid re-housing program in DC. The urgency of that advocacy intensified last winter, when the Department of Human Services announced it intended to start terminating almost 1000 families for reaching a time limit in rapid re-housing, even though the agency knew that nearly all of those […] Read more…
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| Advocacy
Despite Strong Community Opposition, DC Elected Officials Segregate and Exclude Immigrants from Homeless Services
On Tuesday, September 20, 2022, the DC Council passed The Migrant Services and Supports Emergency Act of 2022 without making any of the significant changes that we advocated for. Councilmember Pinto tried to amend the bill to remove many of the harmful provisions and to add in legal and safety protections for migrants. Councilmember Nadeau […] Read more…