Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

The core of WLCH's work, through our Legal Assistance Project, is the representation of individual low- and no-income clients through a network of over 200 volunteer attorneys and legal assistants. Volunteers obtain clients on a referral basis or, most often, at one of seven intake sites run by WLCH at meal programs, health clinics, and day programs throughout the District. WLCH’s staff attorneys

provide advice and guidance on all volunteer cases. Volunteer attorneys participating in the Legal Assistance Project represent people on issues arising primarily in the following areas (no prior expertise is required): public benefits (e.g., Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, medical assistance, food stamps and TANF); shelter and housing (e.g., shelter placement, conditions and expulsions, public housing, Housing Choice Voucher Program eligibility and terminations, and housing condition disputes); street rights; and consumer debt/credit. WLCH also works on such wide-ranging issues as the criminalization of homelessness, budget advocacy, and the social service safety net. WLCH staff and volunteer attorneys also provide significant advice and representation in connection with the following major initiatives, which have a systemic impact on programs and opportunities throughout the District: