On Monday, July 14, the D.C. Council will take its first vote on our local budget and many legal changes that will impact the lives of D.C. residents. As we discussed here, the mayor’s budget proposal was regressive and harmful, hardly befitting a city where the vast majority of residents support progressive and humane economic and social policies. The Council has already reversed some of these harmful proposals, but when it comes to responding...
Supreme Court Debates Rights of Unhoused and Unsheltered People
Providing housing instead of handcuffs is not only the moral, effective, and humane choice, but also the Constitutional one.
On National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day and Every Day, D.C. Must Do More to Save Lives
The Legal Clinic will stand with our friends at the People for Fairness Coalition this week at the 11th Annual Memorial and Vigil to commemorate those lives lost. We will continue to stand with our unhoused clients every single day to demand that the D.C. government prioritize the lives and needs of people by ensuring that everyone in D.C. has access to safe, accessible shelter and housing.
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. When cuts are made to critical programs, they are accompanied by...
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 city. Recent housing investments and legislation during the height of the pandemic were crucial to minimize...
The Longest Night of the Year: National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day
On December 21, winter solstice, communities across the country will recognize National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day.