• Graphic advertising the Human Right to Housing Report Card, grading the United States response to housing and homelessness. Click for full report.

We are a national organization dedicated
to using the power of the law
to end and prevent homelessness and
to protect the rights of people experiencing homelessness.

What We Do

The Law Center works in a variety of arenas to help the nation’s 3.5 million people who are experiencing homelessness and its many inhumane effects.

We are the only national legal group dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness. We expand access to affordable housing, meet the immediate and long-term needs of those who are homeless or at risk, and strengthen the social safety-net through:

  1.     Policy advocacy;
  2.     Public education;
  3.     Impact litigation; and
  4.     Advocacy training and support.

We believe all human beings have the right to a basic standard of living that includes safe, affordable housing, healthcare, and freedom from discrimination and cruelty.

The number one cause of homelessness is lack of affordable housing. The number of renters with extremely low incomes far surpasses the number of available affordable rental units. A 2012 study found only 5.8 million rental units affordable to the more than 10 million households that identify as extremely low income. After paying rent and utilities, 75% of those households end up with less than half of their income to pay for necessities such as food, medicine, transportation, or childcare.

Our proven method of first-rate legal advocacy on issues of housing and homelessness has a tremendous impact.

  • People experiencing homelessness in the Ninth Circuit can now rest without fearing arrest due to a successful ruling in Martin v. Boise.
  • Since launching the #IAskForHelpBecause effort as part of the Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign, nearly 60 cities have repealed or ceased enforcement of bans on panhandling, protecting the First Amendment-protected right to ask for help.
  • We ensure homeless students’ right to education under the McKinney-Vento Act through impact litigation, training, and resources.

Our work is not finished until every person has a safe, permanent place to call home. And your support is crucial. In 2017, the Law Center leveraged over $6 million in donated legal services, which means every dollar you donate is multiplied six times over. And there are many ways to give:

  • Financial contributions can be made at donate.
  • Shopping on Amazon? You can help the Law Center at no cost to you! If you shop at this link and select the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, AmazonSmile donates a portion of your total purchase to the Law Center. Learn more here.
  • With the click of a button, your daily purchases can make a positive impact on others at no cost to you. If you shop online, iGive organizes thousands of different donation policies at many of your favorite stores to make them applicable to your purchases. Learn more here, or go directly to the iGive page.
  • Law firms interested in providing pro bono legal services, please visit HALT
  • Check for volunteer opportunities here.

Useful Links

ABOUT

The Law Center is the only national organization dedicated solely to using the power of the law to end and prevent homelessness through training, advocacy, impact litigation, and public education.

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IN THE NEWS

The Law Center is constantly in the news, and this is where you can find it. We are leading experts sought by national & international publications such as the New York Times, Associated Press, and the BBC.

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RESOURCES

The Law Center works tirelessly for a world where everyone has a place to call home. Real solutions are backed by expert research and we have a multitude of resources available to combat homelessness.

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