Search Results

NHLP submitted comments on the IRS’s proposed rule that would prohibit owners of LIHTC AIT properties from redesignating a unit’s imputed income limitation. The comment letter advocates for the IRS to give owner’s the ability to re-designate a unit’s imputed income limitation when necessary to comply with fair housing and VAWA obligations and when necessary to accommodate the floating unit designations allowed by other subsidy programs. The comment letter also explains how owner’s of LIHTC AIT properties have an incentive to rent their very low-income and extremely low-income units to Section 8 voucher holders where the voucher payment standard exceeds the maximum rent allowed under the LIHTC program. This duplicates the LIHTC subsidy for these units, it makes these... Read More »

The National Housing Law Project has put together the following resources for attorneys, advocates, policymakers, and others for assistance during the COVID-19 national public health crisis.  We will continue to update this with NHLP resources and other resources as they become available. Please email us with any additional resources to post. CDC Eviction Moratorium | Amicus Briefs Defending Moratoria | Evictions Survey | Federal Eviction Moratorium – The CARES Act | Federal Eviction Moratorium – The CARES Act | State and Local Eviction Moratoria | COVID-19 Litigation Resources | Tool for Tenants Advocates | Homeowner Protection and Resources | Policy Advocacy and Analysis | Federal Government Resources... Read More »

NHLP SEEKS SUMMER LAW CLERKS FOR SUMMER 2021 Over fifty years ago, the Fair Housing Act and the Housing and Urban Development Act were signed into law to expand housing opportunities for marginalized communities and to redress racially motivated, discriminatory laws and policies. Unfortunately, far too many of our neighbors continue to face discriminatory policies that are oppressive and create extraordinary hurdles to accessing affordable, clean, decent, and sanitary housing. Where we live has a powerful impact on our educational opportunities, employment opportunities, and our mental and physical health. The current public health crisis and the ongoing organizing for a more just union have only reinforced the importance of having a place to call home. The National Housing Law Project... Read More »

On Thursday December 17, NHLP hosted a webinar: How can HJN Members Impact Federal Policy? Noelle Porter, NHLP’s Government Affairs Director, presented federal policy advocacy opportunities in the important context of a Biden-Harris transition. She shared how HJN has informed NHLP’s advocacy to date, and how we’d like to open the dialogue further. Natalie Maxwell, Director of Advocacy & Litigation at Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. in Gainesville, Florida discussed legal services attorneys’ role in helping frame the national conversation around tenants rights and the need for affordable housing. Both Noelle and Natalie answered questions about how to get more involved and how to directly or indirectly engage federal officials. The webinar kicked-off a series of listening sessions for HJN... Read More »

Survivors of domestic and sexual violence face a number of serious housing problems related to the acts of violence committed against them. In reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, Congress recognized that families are being discriminated against, denied access to, and even evicted from housing because of their status as survivors. Legal services providers have reported hundreds of cases where tenants were evicted because of acts of domestic and sexual violence committed against them. Focusing on defending survivors’ rights to maintain rental housing is particularly crucial because women living in rental housing experience domestic violence at three times the rate of women who own their homes. Further, domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness among survivors... Read More »

Presidential Transition 2020 Our nation is in the midst of a long overdue national conversation about housing. The economic devastation of COVID-19 and a reckoning on police brutality have and further exposed a system rife with race, gender, and other discrimination. We are advocating that the Biden-Harris presidential transition team act on what housing advocates have been saying for years: our federal housing system is broken, and it’s time for a renewed commitment to just and effective housing policy that serves tenants and improves outcomes for low-income households and communities of color. With the National Housing Law Project more than 50 years’ experience fighting for housing justice and strengthening federal law and programs, and informed by the strong network of... Read More »

NHLP publishes a newsletter on a variety of current housing issues that affect survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Issue Two 2020 Newsletter The newsletter details a court decision where a survivor prevailed on appeal against a housing authority, with the court rejecting the housing authority’s stated reasons for evicting the survivor and her daughter due to the offsite criminal activity of her abuser. Additionally, the issue features articles regarding:  an NHLP conducted survey on evictions during COVID-19; a short description of the CDC eviction moratorium; and a summary of a HUD COVID-19 FAQ for public housing agencies’ discussion of VAWA protections. The newsletter also includes an article that outlines the legal protections for survivors in rental housing admissions. Read More »

The National Housing Law Project is very happy to announce that we will be hosting a discussion on advancing racial justice in the housing movement. Panelists: Demetria McCain Demetria McCain has been with the Inclusive Communities Project (ICP) since its inception and presently serves as its president. ICP is a Dallas-based nonprofit that works for the creation and maintenance of thriving racially and economically inclusive communities, expansion of fair and affordable housing opportunities for low income families, and redress for policies and practices that perpetuate the harmful effects of discrimination and segregation. Conceived by Demetria, ICP’s “Voices for Opportunity” initiative provides advocacy training for low-income renters and neighborhood groups fighting for fair housing and neighborhood equity. Previously, Demetria worked as... Read More »

Michelle Wilde Anderson is a scholar of state and local government law. Her work combines legal analysis, empirical research, and humanistic reporting to understand concentrated poverty and municipal fiscal distress. Her recent publications explore restructuring (such as bankruptcy, disincorporation, and receiverships) in cities and counties facing chronic poverty related to deindustrialization. These issues affect not only Rust Belt capitals such as Detroit, but also post-industrial cities in California, rural counties in the West and South, and small towns across the country. She is currently writing a book about what we need most from local governments in America’s high-poverty, post-industrial areas. Prior to joining Stanford Law School in 2014, Anderson was an assistant professor of law at the University of California Berkeley... Read More »

NHLP hosted an informational session and discussion about HUD’s new Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration. HUD recently published its NOFA for the demonstration, which includes program requirements and guidance for PHAs that are applying to participate. We began with an overview of the Mobility Demonstration. We then heard from local advocates in Atlanta and Cleveland about how they are working with their PHAs to apply and ultimately implement voucher mobility programs. Moderator: Bridgett Simmons, National Housing Law Project Presenters: Phil Tegeler, PRRAC Lindsey Siegel, Atlanta Legal Aid Wingo Smith, Southern Poverty Law Center Michael Lepley, Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research Recording: https://zoom.us/rec/share/qGJ6DOQrRPQB0d28hwSpmEd3TnPihFiCVtZDfjHhd9HX1N3EpqLsSFVZuComByjH.LlNTC1XWHiovk1sY Passcode: V1I30g*T... Read More »