Category: Housing Justice

Erin Palmer, Associate Director, Corporate Pro Bono Across the United States, so-called “crime-free” and “nuisance” housing ordinances are being challenged for their discriminatory impacts. These policies, while supposedly intended to enhance safety, often disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including people of color, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence. Recent legal developments, including a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, issued on August 15, caution that such housing programs may violate federal laws and undermine civil rights protections. Proactive legal advocacy is crucial, and lawyers play a key role in fighting these injustices and ensuring fair

This blog post is part of a series spotlighting nonprofit organizations and the pro bono collaborations that help extend the impact of their work. Katie DePalma, PBI Sheehan Scholar Housing instability presents a significant barrier for returning citizens, affecting their ability to reintegrate and contribute to society. To combat this challenge, the Vera Institute of Justice’s Opening Doors initiative focuses on expanding access to safe and affordable housing for returning citizens. By partnering with various stakeholders, including public housing authorities and state legislatures, with support from pro bono lawyers, Opening Doors works to dismantle the barriers that prevent individuals with

By Hailey Kearsley, PBI Intern and PBI Staff The U.S. Supreme Court issued its highly-anticipated decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson today – holding that a city’s efforts to prohibit unhoused individuals from sleeping outside when there’s nowhere else for them to sleep does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment. I sat in front of the Supreme Court at 1:00 a.m. on a cold night in April so that I could attend oral argument in the case. With the temperature falling to 40 degrees, many came prepared, camping outside with tents and sleeping

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP Interview Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has partnered with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to staff a helpline for tenants facing eviction or related housing crises. Through the helpline, tenants can receive advice about their legal rights and assistance with completing pro se forms, such as answers and motions, to file in their cases. In 2023, over 500 clients were provided assistance through the helpline. We spoke with Laura Sinrod, Special Counsel and Resident Pro Bono Counsel in the New York office. As pro bono counsel, Laura is responsible for

As part of the Challenge Signatory Showcase, Corporate Pro Bono is excited to highlight The Williams Companies**, and their housing justice pro bono project. We chatted with Williams’ Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Lane Wilson, about the project and the impact that it has on tenants who are unable to afford legal representation when faced with eviction. Wilson also discussed with us the importance of having a general counsel who is involved in the department’s pro bono program.   LW: One of the many ways Williams’ employees implement our Responsible Stewards Core Value is to support the communities where we work and live.