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An Advocate’s Guide to Tenants’ Rights in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program We have compiled answers to some of your most frequently asked questions into this helpful guide for both new and seasoned attorneys and advocates. The guide includes: Program Overview – financing structure, evictions, and program implementation; Rent Calculations – rent maximums and the impact of rental assistance; Tenant Eligibility – citizenship status and student rules; Over-Income Tenants – the next available unit rule; … and much more! Visit NHLP’s Low-Income Tax Credits: Low-Income Housing Tax Credits... Read More »

Organizers and advocates around the country are increasingly pressing local governments to adopt policies aimed at increasing housing access for people with criminal records by reducing the use of those records in the rental housing application process. This toolkit offers a step-by-step guide to developing such a policy. It discusses the key elements of a fair chance ordinance, including implementation and enforcement provisions, and highlights the various legal and practical considerations that need to be addressed during the drafting of a fair chance ordinance. It also provides a chart summarizing existing local fair chance ordinances as of December 2019. Download Toolkit Here. For more information, please visit NHLP’s webpage: Housing Opportunities for People Reentering... Read More »

In celebration of the National Housing Law Project’s (NHLP) release of A Guide to Equitable Smoke-Free Public Housing, this webinar discusses the best practices for equitable implementation and enforcement of smoke-free policies. This guide is a resource for Public Housing Authorities, tenants, and advocates who are seeking to find the proper balance between two important public health issues– promoting smoke-free environments and ensuring access to affordable, stable housing. While the guide focuses on HUD’s Public Housing smoke-free rule, the philosophy of equitable implementation and enforcement can be applied to all types of rental housing. NHLP is joined by Kara Skahen, Program Director of Live Smoke-Free: Smoke-Free Housing, who discusses the importance of partnerships in creating, implementing, and enforcing smoke-free policies. Read More »

Smoke-free policies are intended to improve public health and indoor air quality, reduce the risk of fires, and lower maintenance costs. On December 5, 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published its final rule, Instituting Smoke-Free Public Housing, requiring public housing agencies (PHAs) to establish local smoke-free policies for public housing properties. Smoke-free policies undoubtedly have a positive health impact on many residents, including children. In their effort to mitigate the harmful effects of smoking, HUD and housing providers must consider how intervention to provide clean air may negatively impact the ability to house marginalized populations. A Guide to Equitable Smoke-Free Public Housing is a resource for PHAs, tenants, and advocates who are seeking to find the proper balance between two... Read More »

People with a criminal record face a monumental challenge when trying to find affordable housing. An Affordable Home on Reentry is an important resource for legal services and other advocates working with individuals with criminal records who are seeking access to federally-assisted housing programs. The guide is an essential tool to help clients navigate the admissions process and how to challenge an application denial. It also provides guidance on impacting local reentry policies and practices. Download the publication here. Read More »

NHLP has drafted this advocacy guide about ​Rural Development ​rural ​rental ​housing preservation, which focuses on saving affordable rural homes and protecting residents against rent increases and displacement​. Specifically, this guide is designed to assist legal services attorneys and tenant advocates in understanding and preventing mortgage prepayments, mortgage maturities, and foreclosures in U.S. Department of Agriculture RD properties. The guide contains important information about key RD housing programs, the main threats challenging the long-term affordability of rural affordable homes, how to identify these threats in your own community, important tenant rights and protections, and litigation and strategy issues to consider. For additional assistance, please contact Gideon Anders (ganders@nhlp.org). Read More »

This advocacy guide is designed to provide legal services attorneys and tenant advocates with information, guidance, model policies, and lessons learned from RAD Component 1 conversions nationwide. This guide specifically discusses ways for advocates to ensure the long-term affordability and enforceable rights of tenants in RAD properties. The NHLP RAD Advocacy Guide (Jan. 2016) is available to download... Read More »