National Homelessness Law Center’s Post

As 2023 came to a close and winter set in, 92,824 people, including 33,365 children, were sleeping in New York City’s main municipal shelter system each night. Almost at historical highs, those numbers evince a crisis that Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP partner Laura M. Brancato '03 is working to address as a member of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Homelessness and the Law. Read more about Laura's work to protect New York's most vulnerable via the story linked below. #StJohnsLaw #StJohnsLawAlumni #LawSchool #LegalEducation

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The Daily Journal is making available for free this excellent piece about the importance of legal representation during evictions. Written by Adam Murray, the Inner City Law Center's Executive Director, the article shows how Right to Counsel (RTC) programs, especially robust ones, can save homes and reduce homelessness in a community such as Los Angeles. The only points I would add--after working on RTC issues since 2018 and overseeing Santa Monica's pilot RTC program for two years--are Bob Dylan song lyrics and then my sense that RTC programs eventually bring deterrence. The song lyrics in a minute, but deterrence develops because some landlords and their attorneys, I believe, will be less likely to file unfounded, bad faith, or discriminatory evictions if they know that the tenants will be well represented. As statistics show that with an attorney a tenant's chances of keeping their home rockets up to 80 or 90 %, the eviction field is leveled, forcing landlords to think twice before filing. All of which reminds me of the tenant's closing words to his landlord in Dylan's "Dear Landlord" from 1967. Now, each of us has his own special gift And you know this was meant to be true And if you don't underestimate me I won't underestimate you. ***

FREE ARTICLE: A startling study reveals the harsh reality of evictions leading to homelessness. With U.S. eviction rates soaring above other developed nations, the consequences are dire. But could a proposed legal aid in Los Angeles be the beacon of hope? Adam Murray, Executive Director of Inner City Law Center, highlights the critical link between legal representation and the fight against homelessness. Full insights just a click away! #EvictionCrisis #Homelessness #LegalAid #HousingRights https://lnkd.in/gr4e5dNU

More use of #GenerativeAI in our search-enquiry-focussed videos ⬇ We also utilised #AI to improve the keywords in our titles and descriptions, to aid audience reach through enquiry searches #SEO It really is streamlining a lot of processes in digital #marketing already.

Yesterday was a significant day for the unhoused community, as the Grants Pass v. Johnson case made its way to the Supreme Court. The court heard oral arguments and will now decide if cities can criminalize people experiencing homelessness who are sleeping outside if there is no shelter available to them. The Supreme Court case centers around The Constitution’s 8th amendment, which states, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” Essentially, the court is deciding whether criminalizing unhoused individuals for sleeping outside is cruel and unusual punishment. As we await the court's decision, let’s hold onto empathy, compassion, and love, and acknowledge the impact that this decision will have on those experiencing homelessness. Interested in learning more about this historic case? Below, we’ve compiled a few great resources for you to explore. - NPR Article: https://n.pr/44fLo5a - Supreme Court Hearing: https://bit.ly/3U4Ic80 - NBC Bay Area: https://bit.ly/4aN1E0d - National Homelessness Law Center Webinar: https://bit.ly/3w5MvI7 #endhomelessness #grantspassvjohnson #supremecourt

Access to cohesive services in regional areas can be a significant challenge, with programs and resources often spread out or hard to find. The Seymour Community Directory, an initiative managed by the SEED Project (an initiative of the Brotherhood of St Laurence), is tackling this issue by creating a one-stop resource that brings together a wide range of community services and programs for the Seymour region. This user-friendly directory is designed to streamline access to support, whether it's related to health, wellbeing, education, or social services, making it easier for individuals and families to find the right resources when they need them most. It represents a step forward in building stronger, more connected regional communities. At Medson Legal, we are proud to partner with the SEED Project by offering a 30-minute legal consultation service through referrals from the Seymour Community Directory Program. This collaboration allows us to provide crucial legal support to individuals navigating family law, family violence, victims of crime, and wills and estates issues. Our team is committed to improving service accessibility for both local and remote clients. The Seymour Community Directory is a key example of how collaboration and innovation can improve service delivery in regional areas, fostering more cohesive and connected communities. 

JAILING PEOPLE FOR HAVING NO PLACE TO GO IS CRUEL AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. SCOTUS's Johnson v. Grants Pass ruling to allow laws targeting homelessness with criminal penalties elevates the need for DESC’s long-term solutions, Housing First and Permanent Supportive Housing. The perspectives we shared in an April post drew on our long experience and evidence to show that people will accept something better for themselves if it meets their needs. Read more on our website: https://lnkd.in/gfY4bevS #JohnsonVGrantsPass

CCH is disheartened by the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Johnson v. Grants Pass. This decision allows cities to penalize individuals for sleeping outdoors with a blanket, ignoring the lived experiences of those with no place to go. Justice Sotomayor, in her dissent, emphasizes that "Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime." This decision overlooks the severe shortage of affordable housing and emergency shelters, particularly affecting Black Chicagoans and Illinoisans. “Fining and penalizing people experiencing homelessness does not solve homelessness. Indeed, criminalizing homelessness only serves to exacerbate it,” said Patricia Nix-Hodes, Director of the Law Project of CCH. “The solution to homelessness is to provide permanent affordable housing.” CCH, alongside 27 partner organizations and pro bono partner Much Shelist, filed an amicus brief highlighting the importance of this case. Read the full brief and join us in advocating for just solutions: https://bit.ly/3xEC7bg #EndHomelessness #SocialJustice #AffordableHousing #HousingisaHumanRight #SCOTUS #PolicyAdvocacy #LegalSupport #CommunityImpact #CCH #Chicago

Is the solution to just put us all in jail?!?! Is the goal to add more barriers onto a path that is already rocky and hard to survive through? I can't imagine what my days would have looked like if I would be charged with breaking the law for sleeping and living along the creeks. Substance User's are criminalized already. Now being homeless and sleeping out doors can be as well. Camps are closed daily and people are forced to carry what we can in carts and on our backs. We search for another little patch of space to build some type of safety and shelter for ourselves and our pets. Where do we go? There is not enough room in shelters or in recovery programs. Is this a realistic solution that takes into consideration the lives of so many that are already struggling just to breathe and live.