Community Legal Services calls for action to preserve affordable housing for low-income tenants. PHILADELPHIA – A report detailing affordable housing at risk of being lost due to owner opt-out was released by the Justice Lab clinic at the Stephen and Sandra Sheller Center for Social Justice at Temple University Beasley School of Law and Community Legal Services…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a new policy to help youth transitioning out of foster care access Supplemental Security Income (SSI)! Youth transitioning out of foster care are a particularly vulnerable population. Studies have confirmed what advocates in the field know from experience – that youth who age out of foster care are more likely…
The following testimony was delivered by CLS Managing Attorney Kathleen Creamer to Philadelphia City Council on June 14, 2016. Printer-friendly download Good afternoon Chairwoman Bass and members of City Council. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on this very important issue. My name is Kathleen Creamer and I am the managing attorney of the…
Navigating the child welfare system can be confusing, emotional, and overwhelming to a parent. The CLS Family Advocacy Unit has helped parents navigate this system on a day-to-day basis for over thirty years, representing thousands of parents. With generous initial funding support from the Samuel Fels Foundation, CLS staff interviewed parents to get their direct quotes…
Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid in 2015. Before Medicaid expansion, most lower-income adults who wanted Medicaid had to get forms from their doctors saying that they had health problems. Now, most lower-income adults can get Medicaid without medical forms. Q: Why does the welfare office ask for a medical form? A: Before Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid in…
Over the past two decades, even the most minor criminal convictions have become lifetime barriers to the necessities of life – jobs, housing, education, and much more. The most effective public policy strategy to address these many barriers is to eliminate the record. A new proposal known as “Clean Slate” (SB 529/HB 1419) is a…
Payday loans are an abusive form of lending that traps cash-strapped borrowers into a long-term cycle of debt, which leads to significant harms. Pennsylvania has one of the strongest laws in the country to guard against predatory payday lending, but the law is at risk. The payday lenders are lobbying legislators in Harrisburg to weaken…
As of November 14, 2016, people with certain misdemeanor convictions can ask the court to seal their record. A sealed record will only be available to law enforcement. It will NOT be available to employers or the public. You may be eligible if all of the following apply: 1. You were convicted (plead guilty or were found guilty) of…
Billie Washington was struggling to make ends meet. A former home care attendant, she was no longer able to work due to her rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other illnesses. While waiting for her disability benefits hearing, she began receiving General Assistance. Ms. Washington carefully budgeted the monthly $205.00 to cover her rent, toiletries, medical co-payments, and public transportation to get to doctor’s appointments. When she found out that General Assistance was being eliminated, Ms. Washington felt like she had the rug yanked out from under her. Describing the feeling of desperation, she said, “I was crushed. I just, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
Billie Washington was struggling to make ends meet. A former home care attendant, she was no longer able to work due to her rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other illnesses. While waiting for her disability benefits hearing, she began receiving General Assistance. Ms. Washington carefully budgeted the monthly $205.00 to cover her rent, toiletries, medical co-payments, and public transportation to get to doctor’s appointments. When she found out that General Assistance was being eliminated, Ms. Washington felt like she had the rug yanked out from under her. Describing the feeling of desperation, she said, “I was crushed. I just, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
