The National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC), formerly known as the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP), is an American
nonprofit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
organization that uses the power of the law to end and prevent homelessness, through training, advocacy, impact litigation, and public education.
NHLC was founded in 1989 by
Maria Foscarinis
Maria Foscarinis is the founder of thNational Homelessness Law Center(formerly known as the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty), a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., United States, and dedicated to using the power of ...
and is based in Washington, D.C.
History
In the mid-1980s, NLCHP's founder, Maria Foscarinis, was a lawyer working at Sullivan & Cromwell when she volunteered to represent homeless families on a pro bono basis. After seeing the impact of first-rate legal advocacy on the lives of homeless people, Maria left the firm with a new goal; to end homelessness in America. In 1985, she established and directed the Washington, DC office of the National Coalition for the Homeless. She directed campaigns to enact federal legislation to aid the homeless and went on to become an architect of the 1987 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the first major federal legislation to address homelessness.
In 1989, she established the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (the Law Center).
The organization changed its name to NHLC in 2020.
See also
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Homelessness in the United States
Homelessness in the United States refers to the issue of homelessness in the United States, a condition wherein people lack a fixed, regular, and adequate residence. The number of homeless people varies from different federal government accou ...
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McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act
The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 is a United States federal law that provides federal money for homeless shelter programs.National Coalition for the Homeless"Fact sheet on The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act" June ...
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Law
Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.
Organizations established in 1989
501(c)(3) organizations
Homelessness and law