Legal Clinic for the Homeless
Overview
The Legal Clinic for the Homeless staff and volunteer attorneys provide advice, advocacy and representation to residents of homeless shelters on a variety of matters related to public benefits. The Project sponsors legal clinics at homeless shelters, with services provided by a partnering law firm or corporate legal department.
In 2007, more than 100,000 people checked in to the city’s homeless shelters, the nightly occupancy hovering around 35,000 people, nearly half of them children. Thousands more spend each night on the street or in abandoned buildings. While efforts to decrease homelessness in New York over the past few years have been successful, the current economic climate has led to significant increases in the cost of food, transportation and housing, creating a fresh layer of barriers for the city’s homeless.
The Legal Clinic for the Homeless, started in 1991, primarily assists homeless families and those at risk of homelessness in New York City to secure state and federal public benefits, vital tools in poverty prevention and alleviation. Project advocates contest denials and reductions of food stamps, public assistance and Medicaid at administrative hearings. They also work to ensure that clients are able to access government housing subsidies to successfully transition into permanent housing.
For more information, please view our Legal Clinic for the Homeless Report.
