National Housing Law Project Housing Law Bulletin

Special Notice to California IOLTA Field Programs of Services Provided by NHLP

Program Description

The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) is a national legal resource and support center with over 29 years of service to advocates of low-income clients on issues affecting the housing needs of poor people. Working in daily partnership with a community of legal services, public interest and pro bono attorneys, tenant organizations, nonprofit developers, civil rights and anti-poverty organizations, the Project has preserved hundreds of thousands of units of affordable housing for low-income families and established many of the fundamental rights now enjoyed by poor tenants and homeowners.

Support Services Provided

Legal Technical Assistance and Consultation: Within the limits of its resources, NHLP will respond to requests for assistance from legal services and other attorneys serving poor people. Priority is given to requests regarding basic principles and new developments in federal housing law, including public and HUD-assisted housing, fair housing and selected rural housing matters.

Dissemination of Information: NHLP meets the special information needs of housing advocates by disseminating current information about policy and legal developments through monthly issues of the Housing Law Bulletin, special mailings, packets and training events. The Project also publishes the definitive practitioners' manuals on the rights of tenants and homeowners in HUD and rural housing programs.

Training: NHLP can provide training to housing attorneys on the basic principles and new developments in federal housing law. The training events will primarily be coordinated with the California Housing Task Force meetings run by the Western Center on Law and Poverty, although other requests for training from California IOLTA programs will also be considered within our resource limitations.

Policy Assistance: Through our office in Washington, D.C., NHLP facilitates the representation of eligible clients before the United States Congress and federal agencies.

Staff and Areas of Specialization:

• David B. Bryson, Interim Director: Public housing, Section 8, HUD-subsidized multifamily housing, fair housing, selected rural housing issues, homelessness
• Nancy Tyler Bernstine, Director of Government Relations (Washington, D.C. office)
• James R. Grow, Staff Attorney: Public housing, Section 8, HUD-subsidized multifamily housing, fair housing, selected rural housing issues, homelessness
• Deedee Peterson, Development Director
• Katherine Castro, Publications Editor
• Amy I. Siemens, Administrative Assistant
• Leonard Claudio, Administrative Support Clerk
• Mary Lou Pegross, Receptionist

For additional information about the Project and the services it provides, please contact our Oakland office, (510) 251-9400.