Monthly Archives: June 2013

Conference Call: Learn about Title V of the McKinney-Vento Act

Posted on June 26, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

Join us for a Conference Call on June 27 Federal Surplus Property for Homeless Uses: Title V of the McKinney-Vento Act Space is limited. Reserve Your Space Now The federal government is the largest single owner of real estate in … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing | Leave a comment

Chicago City Council Approves Increased Protections for Renters Living in Foreclosed Buildings

Posted on June 26, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

Property foreclosures remain a national epidemic. Tenants in foreclosed rental properties have federal rights under the 2009 Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA), but too often these rights are violated, leaving millions of people vulnerable to housing instability and homelessness. … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing | 1 Comment

Meet Ed McNicholas, New Chair of the Board

Posted on June 26, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

In January 2013, Ed McNicholas, partner at Sidley Austin LLP’s Washington office, became chair of the Law Center’s Board of Directors, after serving for several years as member and vice-chair. Through an email interview, Mr. McNicholas tells us about what … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Human Rights | Leave a comment

With Defeat of House Farm Bill, Devastating Cuts to SNAP Avoided

Posted on June 25, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

On June 20th, in a shocking defeat, the House of Representatives rejected the Farm Bill by a vote of 234-195. While the vote was a defeat for Republican supporters of the bill’s spending cuts, it was a pseudo-success for advocates … Continue reading →

Posted in Hunger | 2 Comments

Homeless Bills of Rights Gaining Momentum Across the Country

Posted on June 25, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

While cities across the nation consider and pass laws against panhandling,  sitting or lying in public places, and other measures which criminalize homelessness, lawmakers in Connecticut and Illinois are following Rhode Island’s lead in passing legislation to protect homeless individuals from discrimination. … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Rights | 9 Comments

Ending homelessness – social justice and human rights

Posted on June 25, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

“We don’t work on homelessness.” It’s a comment I hear from policymakers, funders, and other organizations. But my feeling is that if you work on poverty, and if you work on justice, you work on homelessness. Over the years, homelessness … Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Youth, Civil Rights, Housing, Human Rights | 6 Comments

Racial Discrimination: Progress, but “Much Work Remains”

Posted on June 24, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

The U.S. government issued a major report to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination last week, focusing attention on the ongoing existence of racial disparities in the U.S. The report does a decent job of responding to … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, Race | Leave a comment

“Homelessness Has a Thousand Meanings”

Posted on June 20, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

Homelessness has a thousand meanings for the thousands of people who suffer from it every day in the United States. For the college students who spoke at the June 17th Congressional briefing, “The Voices of Youth: A Discussion on Resilience, … Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Youth | 1 Comment

Will Reducing SNAP Benefits Reduce the Number of Deadbeat Dads?

Posted on June 19, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

On last Tuesday night, Sean Hannity hosted a discussion about a “deadbeat dad” in Tennessee who had twenty-two children with fourteen different women. The man, Orlando Shaw, has not been able to pay child support, but insists that he loves … Continue reading →

Posted in Hunger | 2 Comments

From the Small Screen to the Hill: Real Americans Testifying on the Fragile State of the American Dream

Posted on June 13, 2013 by homelessnesslaw

Diedre Melson, John Cox and Pamela Thatcher. Photo credit: Don Mathis Hard work is no longer enough to sustain the American Dream for Diedre Melson, John Cox and Pamela Thatcher. Subjects of the HBO documentary film “American Winter,” all three … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Hunger, Uncategorized | 4 Comments