Community Legal Services of Philadelphia and Morgan Lewis Obtain Settlement to Provide Emergency SNAP Benefits to Qualifying Pennsylvanians

BREAKING NEWS: CLS and superstar pro bono co-counsel Morgan Lewis just settled litigation that will deliver $712 million emergency SNAP (food stamp) benefits to approximately 650,000 of the neediest Pa households! In addition, the USDA will be changing their national policy so that approximately 12 million families nationwide will get additional SNAP benefits they are owed.…

Brief: The Treasury Department Must Ensure Fair Access to Stimulus Payments for All

We are so excited that the American Rescue Plan has authorized a third round of stimulus payments–offering an essential lifeline to so many people struggling during the pandemic and their dependents.  We are hopeful that people, particularly non-filers, do not face the same significant obstacles getting the $1400 dependent payments like they did for the…

Testimony in Support of Improving the Unemployment Compensation System in Pennsylvania

CLS Litigation Director  Sharon Dietrich submitted the following testimony before the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee on March 10, 2021. The testimony highlights problems with Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs that are preventing eligible applicants from receiving benefits, and proposes solutions to these problems. Download the full testimony with attachments Members…

COVID-19’s Impact on Race and Housing Security Across Philadelphia: Philadelphia Renters Report

Read the full report  Racial and economic disparities in affordable housing existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet, new data from the US Census Bureau suggest that the pandemic and the ensuing economic fallout are only widening these divides. When paired with a global pandemic, we anticipate a national wave of homelessness that will…