Right to Counsel Passes Philadelphia City Council!
Right to Counsel passed unanimously in Philadelphia City Council on November 14! This bill guarantees low income tenants an attorney…
Read more
The Dangerous Weight of Water Debt
For years, Philadelphia operated an inefficient assistance program for low-income water customers, Philadelphia’s most economically vulnerable households. The program helped…
Data Shows that Our Holistic Parent Representation Helps Kids Too
For decades, the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services has provided holistic family defense for parents involved in child…
On Belonging
CLS Deputy Director of Operations and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Brenda Marrero on what it means to belong.
SCOTUS Must End Employment Discrimination Against the LGBTQ+ Community
It’s Time for the Supreme Court to End Employment Discrimination Against the LGBTQ+ Community. The following blog post was written by…
Roxanne Jones Fellowship Brings Opportunity, Connections
This summer, Community Legal Services (CLS) was thrilled to establish the Senator Roxanne Jones Fellowship to enable future leaders in…
Family Advocacy: How Holistic Family Defense Helps Children Thrive
The conversation about child welfare is changing, both locally and nationally. While over 440,000 children are in foster care on any given…
Don’t Let USDA Take Food Away from 3.1 Million Americans – Including over 100,000 Pennsylvanians.
Families Should Be Able to Take a Raise, Work More Hours, or Save for a Rainy Day Without Risking Losing their…
CLS Files Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutional General Assistance Cuts
This afternoon, Community Legal Services (CLS) and Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of almost 12,000 low-income…
CLS BLOG: Automated Sealing in Action
Mr. Amos has a criminal record. Even though the charges against him were dismissed, they still remained on his record…
Clean Slate: Changing Lives by Sealing Criminal Records
In 2018, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania signed the Clean Slate Act. With its signing, Pennsylvania became the first state
Saving Your Home and Water Service Through TAP
A recent Pew Charitable Trusts article highlighted a growing problem across the country – overdue water bills causing the loss of a…
Philadelphia Shows Steady Progress Collecting Property Taxes While Also Helping Homeowners
Philadelphia’s tax one-year non-collection rate hit a low of 3.9% in 2017, according to a report out in February from…
Get Ready, Get Set: PA Prepares for Clean Slate Implementation
In 2018, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania signed the Clean Slate Act. With its signing, Pennsylvania became the first state
Spring is Coming: Here’s How to Keep Your Utilities On
Each year, residential Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) and PECO customers are protected from utility shut offs by the winter moratorium.…
Oppose the Presidential Administration’s Proposal to Take Food Away from 755,000 People
The Presidential Administration’s proposal would take food away from 755,000 people, including 90,000 Pennsylvanians.