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The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP) was founded in 1989 by Maria Foscarinis as a non-profit corporation based in Washington, D.C. It is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal revenue Code,〔(GuideStar - JustGive Search - National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty )〕 and contributions to it are tax deductible. The organization is governed by a 16 member volunteer Board of Directors, and works with other national and local organizations across the country.〔(Charity Navigator Rating - National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty )〕 The mission of NLCHP is to prevent and end homelessness by serving as the legal arm of the nationwide movement to end homelessness. Through a combination of impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education, NLCHP works for systematic reform that addresses the causes of homelessness at the local, state, and national level. NLCHP views homelessness as an extreme form of poverty, caused primarily by a shortage of affordable housing, insufficient income, and inadequate social services. NLCHP is the only national legal advocacy organization dedicated solely to preventing and ending homelessness.〔(NLCHP.org )〕 NLCHP’s programs focus on reforming systems that contribute to and cause homelessness, while also working to make a concrete difference in the lives of millions.〔(Homelessness )〕 The organization’s programs include: * Assuring that homeless children are able to go to school * Preventing domestic violence survivors from becoming homeless * Assisting impoverished families when they are homeless due to a natural disaster * Holding the U.S. government accountable until the human right to housing is a reality for all * Protecting homeless individuals from discrimination * Creating homes and communities for homeless people from unused government property〔 ==Accomplishments== Major accomplishments by NLCHP include: * Helping to spur passage of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, which increased federal resources to prevent homelessness and to house those already homeless, and required that the federal government develop a plan to end homelessness.〔National Alliance to End Homelessness' HEARTH Act Summary http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/general/detail/2098〕 * Helping to spur passage of 2009’s Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, which provided tenants of foreclosure properties with unprecedented federal protections, including the right to 90-days notice prior to eviction, or in many cases, the right to stay in their home until the end of their lease.〔Prince George's Sentinel: Foreclosures also affect tenants http://www.thesentinel.com/pgs/column-landlord-foreclosers-ganzler〕 * Advocating for laws in D.C. and Maryland that add homeless people as a protected class to their hate crime statutes.〔USA Today: MD first to make homeless attacks a hate crime http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-05-07-homeless-attacks-hate-crimes_N.htm〕 * Helping to plan a nationwide fact-finding mission for the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, Raquel Rolnik, who met with poor and homeless persons and government officials in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. and other cities to assess the status of American homelessness. She concluded her trip by sharing her preliminary findings at NLCHP’s National Forum on Housing as a Human Right.〔UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing's opening remarks at National Housing Forum http://hub.witness.org/en/upload/un-special-rapporteur-right-adequate-housing-opening-remarks-2009-national-forum-human-right-〕 * Along with pro bono partner Goodwin Procter, successfully resolving a class action lawsuit on behalf of 2,000 children against the Long Island, New York school system, Suffolk County, and New York state, ensuring access to school and school services for those children.〔(Agreement Near on Homeless Schooling - New York Times )〕 * Advocating successfully for a federal law that makes surplus federal property available to homeless assistance organizations at no cost, and creating a tool kit and provides technical assistance to help local advocates apply for and obtain federal property. Federal agencies estimate that at least $100 million in surplus federal property has been made available to homeless assistance organizations to date.〔President Signs Bill to Provide More Housing Resources http://www.nlchp.org/view_release.cfm?PRID=1〕 * Successfully advocating against anti-camping laws in Puyallup, WA, where homeless persons were harassed and arrested for sleeping in public. As a result of NLCHP’s efforts, the Puyallup City Council declared a Homeless Awareness Day and is considering legislation to establish tent cities on Church property. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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