On May 7, 2012, NHLP joined eleven advocacy and legal groups across the country in providing public comments to the United States Department of Agriculture regarding the Department’s proposed guidance prohibiting national origin discrimination against individuals with limited-English proficiency.

In a major victory for residents of affordable housing subsidized by local government, the California Court of Appeal for the Second District held that constitutional due process applies to an eviction from a housing unit supported by a redevelopment agency, prohibiting the tenant’s eviction without good cause. The Anchor Pacifica Management Co. v. Green opinion, certified for publication, adopted arguments raised in an amicus brief filed on behalf of the Coalition for Economic Survival by Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, National Housing Law Project and the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

Part of the California Attorney General’s Homeowner Bill of Rights, the bills would provide tenants with key protections after foreclosure.

After more than two years of advocacy by NHLP, HUD has provided additional guidance on tenant protections in foreclosed FHA Properties.

NHLP has joined over two dozen civil rights and legal services organizations in supporting the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s proposed rule on the Fair Housing Act’s (FHA) discriminatory effects standard.

On November 28, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition for a writ of certiorari in Mortimer Howard Trust v. Park Village Apartments Tenants Association, No. 11-36.

Longtime NHLP supporter and leader, I. Michael Heyman, died on November 19 at his home in Berkeley, California. Mike had a legendary career as chief law clerk for Chief Justice Earl Warren, law professor and Chancellor of UC Berkeley, and leader of the Smithsonian Institution. Less well known was his dedication and passionate commitment to civil rights, environmental, and public interest causes, including NHLP. He helped establish NHLP as part of the UC Berkeley Earl Warren Institute in the late sixties and served as an NHLP board member from 1979-1991, seven years of which he served as Board Chair, After leaving the Board, he remained a steadfast NHLP supporter for the remainder of his life.

Navneet Grewal, NHLP staff attorney since 2007, has left NHLP to assume a new position at the Western Center on Law and Poverty in Los Angeles. Navneet made a significant contribution to NHLP, expanding our work on fair housing, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, and housing rights for immigrants and people with limited English proficiency and people with disabilities. We will miss her and wish her well in her new position where she will join WCLP’s housing team.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 588, which will significantly improve the state’s law allowing survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking to end their leases without financial penalty. State law currently requires that survivors provide a police report or restraining order issued within the past 60 days in order to end the lease. Under AB 588, the police report or restraining order can be up to 180 days old, providing survivors more time to utilize the lease termination law after they obtain documentation of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.