Regional Housing Legal Services

More Upstate Towns Opt in to—and Toughen—New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law — Shelterforce Several NY municipalities have adopted—and strengthened—a state law that protects tenants from high rent increases and unreasonable evictions.

Upstate New York municipalities are eager to adopt stronger tenant protections, such as the Good Cause Eviction Law. This law guarantees lease renewals as long as tenants pay their rent and abide by their lease agreements.

Rural homelessness growing faster than cities Homelessness may not look the way many imagine it, particularly in rural Indiana. Rural areas saw a 16.6% increase in people experiencing homelessness between 2023 and 2025, according to Indiana Housing...

Rural homelessness is harder to see than urban, but the same problems confront people trying to find and keep affordable housing. Read more from this Indiana news article:

Philly’s Logan Triangle may become modular housing factory As part of her signature housing plan, Parker wants to bring homebuilding factories to underutilized sites in Philadelphia.

“We are all moving in a unified way to attempt to do what has never been done in the city of Philadelphia before. And that is to create a manufacturing hub for housing,” says the Philadelphia mayor, what do you think?

Regional Housing Legal Services to Provide Legal Services to Delaware Nonprofits Creating, Protecting Affordable Homes. - RHLS Website We are excited to share that we are now able to provide services to nonprofits and community groups in the state of Delaware to assist with the creation and protection of affordable housing. With…

Regional Housing Legal Services to Provide Legal Services to Delaware Nonprofits Creating, Protecting Affordable Homes:

Senior Philly homeowners and renters alike feel cost burden of aging in place Some older Philadelphians are turning to each other for support in finding affordable housing options as they age.

Seniors are particularly vulnerable to rapidly rising housing prices, forcing some creative solutions to help them. Read more about some PA programs:https://buff.ly/qZSyIdp

New Pa. loan program seeks to expand affordable rentals for at-risk populations The $35 million initiative comes courtesy of the American Rescue Plan. The funding will be distributed by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

The housing shortage is a complex issue that will take many strategies to resolve. Read more about what Philadelphia is doing:

RHLS attorneys worked with Mt Vernon Manor on this development, and recently attended the ribbon cutting. Read more about this new affordable housing in Philadelphia.

Shapiro wants PA to be a leader on home construction The governor’s new housing plan is a wide-ranging effort to tackle Pennsylvania's housing crisis.

"Dina Schlossberg, ED of nonprofit law firm RHLS, said she was grateful that housing is finally a top priority for state government. The governor’s plan, she said, combines a focus on the need for more construction with ambitious ideas to help vulnerable residents."

Covenant House Philadelphia is expanding with more homes for young people. - RHLS Website RHLS represented Covenant House Pennsylvania in the adaptive reuse of a 3-story dilapidated, vacant commercial building on Germantown Avenue.  The building was deeded to CHPA in 2016 and is around…

RHLS worked with Covenant House Philadelphia last summer on a rehab project to help young people aging out of foster care. This group is particularly vulnerable as they enter adulthood without family support. Read more about our work:

Lessons for Washington from Three Mayors Whose Housing Strategies Won Them Second Terms Here's what happens when leaders loosen zoning permitting and invest in community-scale development at the same time.

Lessons from 3 cities: read this profile of mayors who worked hard to bring more housing to their cities, and see what we can learn from them.

Living in Homes Without Closure Share:Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on X (Twitter)Share on TelegramShare on RedditShare on EmailHousing is not merely a market commodity. It is bound up with dignity, security, and the…

This article from India tells the story of a builder who sold unfinished properties and then left. The new homeowners were able to call on a gov't agency for redress against the builder, a process that would otherwise be burdensome and costly. What do you think? Good idea?

Germantown residents are mobilizing against displacement: 'People power is real' With a nod to King's vision for America, grassroots organizers aim to empower residents to "fight for their neighborhoods" amid mounting affordability pressures.

Read about the residents in Philadelphia as they organize against gentrification. "Participants learned how to stay in the loop on proposed development projects, the importance of attending zoning meetings, and ways to create more affordable housing in the area." buff.ly/PqlARuv

What Critics Get Wrong About Inclusionary Housing Development should come with affordability. Here's the case for inclusionary housing, and why opponents aren't seeing the full picture.

This article asks the simple question, "We must ask the critics of inclusionary housing a specific, uncomfortable question: If we eliminate these requirements tomorrow, will the private market build a single unit affordable to a janitor?"

Philanthropy Cannot Solve the Housing Crisis by Defunding Justice That funders should stop supporting housing justice organizations in the name of boosting production is a “false and ultimately destructive choice,” guest author Quintin Mecke writes.

Philanthropy is encouraged to weigh in on ideas for building more affordable housing, with deregulation touted as the best strategy. Instead, the author argues, they should support housing production, tenant protections, and zoning reform. Read more, tell us what you think.

A unique labor partnership will fund the rebuild of this West Philly high-rise PHA announced a $100 million agreement to restore the apartment tower in Wynnefield Heights, creating “deeply affordable” senior housing and hundreds of jobs.

A bit of positive news for seniors in Philadelphia, the dilapidated Brith Shalom building will be completely rehabbed, and former residents able to return.
buff.ly/eXWOpLX

Linda Lockman King Apartments in West Philadelphia, affordable, safe housing for families. - RHLS Website The Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) builds and runs supportive, affordable housing for families in Philadelphia. WCRP was established in 1986 and is a woman-led community development…

RHLS worked with @WCRP on the Linda Lockman-King Apartments, read more about this development, coming soon to West Philadelphia, on our website!

Georgia State study shows how much tenants spend on extended-stay hotels A new Georgia State University study found more than 4,600 people are living in extended-stay hotels because they can’t access traditional rental housing, even though many are working and paying more…

A study from Georgia shows that families with unstable incomes end up paying much more for housing in the form of long-term hotel rentals. But it doesn't need to be this way! There are You can listen to the interview here:

Grace Lutheran explores affordable housing development on parking lot Before moving to Evanston’s Grace Lutheran Church, Pastor Luke Harris-Ferree joined a congregation in Seattle at a key moment: Construction had just begun on an affordable housing development in what…

Not just thoughts and prayers, but action, here is an example of how churches are stepping up to create homes:

Shapiro plans to unveil housing plan amid rising costs But major obstacles stand in the way of the Democratic governor as affordability remains a top issue in PA and nationally.

Pennsylvania needs more housing, especially affordable housing. At the same time, we need to fix the homes that we have. We support a bipartisan, statewide strategy to build more homes in the commonwealth. Read how the legislature is looking ahead to progress:

The New Urban Order: Where’s the American Dream for Renters? Renters — a generation who can’t afford to buy — deserve economic mobility, too. The solution: Programs that help save money and build equity

Many ideas are floating around about how to help more people get the down payment that they need to buy a home. This article suggests a targeted savings plan similar to a 401 (k) or a PA 529. What do you think?

RHLS submits recommendations to the Pennsylvania Utility Commission on the energy efficiency and conservation program known as Act 129. - RHLS Website Affordable utilities are critical to housing security for families with low incomes. For affordable housing providers that include utility costs in the rent they charge tenants, maintaining…

RHLS joined the Coalition for Equitable Energy and Housing in Pennsylvania to submit recommendations on PA Act 129. As the PUC prepares to oversee Phase 5, it is more important than ever to help multi-family residences bring down their utility costs. Read more on our website:

As electricity rates soar, PECO adds $2.5 million in aid for low-income customers Utility aims to keep the heat on during cold weather while calling for long-term solutions.

We are glad to see that PECO is increasing its aid to low-income consumers, but as PULP ED Liz Marx points out, it is a band-aid solution at best. Read more: buff.ly/bF8Zz9n

Charlotte Reentry Programs Could Look Different After Federal Budget Cuts Recidivism rates remain high across America and programs that can help reduce those rates are now in jeopardy with federal budget cuts.

Reentry programs like this one in Charlotte are braced for budget cuts as the trickle-down effects of the last budget bill are felt throughout the social justice space:

PHA seeks to transform vacant Germantown properties into 121 affordable rentals The properties were part of Germantown Settlement’s vast real estate portfolio before the social services nonprofit was undone by scandal.

Good news, more housing is coming to the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, and it will be deeply affordable:

St Katherine of Drexel senior housing begins construction. - RHLS Website The groundbreaking crew was all happy smiles at the St Katherine Drexel Place groundbreaking ceremony in the fall.

RHLS was proud to partner with Catholic Housing and Community Services on the St Katherine Drexel senior apartments. Read more on our website:

“The system is unstable, not us”: How South Carolina evictions harm Black mothers The state has one of the highest eviction rates in the U.S., and Black women and children are disproportionately the target

Eviction impacts black families harder in large part due to a lack of access to legal representation. Legal aid saves homes.

a group of old white men sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while MLK Watches, this graphic implies that the rule of law will return

"We will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope."

How the Drug War Undermined Fair Housing—and What to Do About It | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice. A 1988 Fair Housing Act amendment allows landlords to reject applicants with any drug conviction, even if minor. This undermines fair housing and must be changed.

Attaching racist polices to bills masquerading as "tough on drugs/crime" allowed law makers too look good while denying people of color their rights, especially to fair housing practices. Read more about the history of fair housing exemptions and the impact they carry:

Pennsylvania’s home repair program left out of state budget, despite high demand • Pennsylvania Capital-Star The Whole Home Repair Program doesn't yet have a state-funded successor, dubbed PA Home Preservation Program, despite its popularity.

Despite high demand, the whole home repair program has failed to get funded by the PA Budget.

Attorneys are needed to provide #probono representation at Protection from Abuse (PFA) hearings, weekly in Doylestown.

Volunteers for plaintiffs especially needed:
💚 Wed, Feb. 11 & 18, 2026

Volunteer for plaintiffs: dmccarty@lasp.org or 215-398-6757

Defense: Contact Bucks County Bar Assoc.