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    Commission on Homelessness & Poverty

    The Commission is committed to educating the bar and the public about homelessness and poverty and how the legal community and advocates can assist those in need.

    Join us October 25 at 1:30PM EST for "The 2025 Sunsetting of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA): Tax Justice on the Frontlines"

    CHP is proud to cosponsor CRSJ's upcoming webinar, "The 2025 Sunsetting of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act." This webinar will expose listeners to what is at risk with the December 31, 2025, sunsetting of the Trump Administration's 2017 TCJA. Advocates and scholars working on the frontlines of tax justice will explain not only what is on the menu for members of Congress to vote on in the next year but the who, what, and why marginalized communities must be at the table (and not on the menu).

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    REGISTER NOW: For Better or Worse: Ethical Use of AI for Legal Aid Providers

    Join Us November 7 at 1pm EST

    For better or worse, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. Those in the access-to-justice community are looking for ways to ethically harness its potential to help better serve clients and to reduce justice gaps by expanding access to legal services. The development and use of these tools go beyond the headlines relating to ChatGPT and other generative AI, as their use in a legal practice raise a number of significant ethical questions and concerns for lawyers engaged in the delivery of legal services to those of limited means. Register to join today.

    Join us Thursday, November 14, 2024 – Estate Planning Needs of Military Members

    The Commission is proud to cosponsor LAMP's upcoming CLE, "Estate Planning Needs of Military Members." Military members and their families have unique needs in the area of estate planning, and civilian attorneys should be aware of the many ways the estate planning process differs from that for non-servicemembers. This program’s speakers are military-connected practitioners with extensive experience in estate planning for military families and will provide military and civilian attorney attendees with guidance on how to best address the estate planning needs of their clients.

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    The Unique Role of Lawyers in Preventing and Ending Youth Homelessness

    When you think of preventing youth homelessness, what typically comes to mind? Many people would not immediately think about lawyers or other legal professionals, yet their role in supporting youth at risk of homelessness is often critical. To highlight this often-overlooked aspect of prevention, the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness collaborated on an article highlighting important legal and justice work in Canada, the United States, and internationally.

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    The Unique Role of Lawyers in Preventing and Ending Youth Homelessness

    The American Bar Association’s Homeless Youth Legal Network is conducting a survey assessing the way in which the legal system interacts with #YouthHomelessness. The survey’s goal is to help identify promising practices within the legal system as well as service gaps to inform advocacy awareness-raising efforts. If you are involved in #YouthHomelessnessPrevention, or you serve youth experiencing homelessness, please fill out this survey and share it with your network.

    Take - The Survey

    Grants Pass v. Johnson

    Statement of ABA President Mary Smith

    CHICAGO, June 28, 2024 — Today the Supreme Court issued a narrow ruling in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson holding that the enforcement of generally applicable laws regulating camping on public property does not constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. While not directly addressing homelessness, this case could have practical implications for the homeless and unhoused populations permitting cities and states across the country to issue fines or impose jail time for violations of laws involving life-sustaining activities, such as sleeping in public spaces. With today’s ruling, it is even more critical for states and local communities to find constructive ways to address the root causes of homelessness and treat those affected with compassion and dignity. The ABA remains committed to finding solutions to homelessness by advocating for the revision of laws and policies to address the challenges that arise when the demand for shelter, housing and services exceeds supply. Instead of criminalizing homelessness, the ABA encourages city, state and local governments to support efforts to increase shelter, housing and services to adequately address the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

    Resolution 607 Passes ABA House of Delegates

    On August 6, 2024, the ABA House of Delegates passed Resolution 607. CHP co-sponsored this resolution, which urges governmental entities to not broaden involuntary civil commitment standards to address unhoused people with mental health disabilities and to instead seek non-coercive forms of intervention and engagement.

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    How the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson affects people, states, and local governments

    On June 28, 2024, the US Supreme Court issued a decision in City of Grants Pass, OR v. Gloria Johnson, the most significant case on homelessness in over 40 years. Reversing over 10 years of lower court precedent in the 9th Circuit, and sidestepping a 62-year-old precedent, the Supreme Court ruled the 8th Amendment’s cruel and unusual punishment clause does not prevent municipalities from ticketing, fining, and otherwise criminalizing homeless persons even if no shelter is available. Join us for a discussion on the impact of the decision on unhoused people, and state and local governments, and become inspired by advocates for the unhoused and lawyers representing state and local governments as all parties look forward to advancing the societal and governmental response to unhoused individuals needing shelter and services.

    Combatting Poverty and Decriminalizing Homelessness Through A Race Equity Lens

    The Commission on Homelessness and Poverty's resource clearinghouse.

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    Racial Equity in the Justice System

    The ABA's central clearinghouse of ABA-related information and resources for attorneys, the legal profession and the public on a wealth of issues addressing bias, racism and prejudice in the justice system and society.

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    About Us

    Learn more about the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, housed within the ABA Center for Public Interest Law.

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    Support the Commission's Work

    Your gift will educate the bar and the public about homelessness and poverty and how the legal community and advocates can assist those in need. Make your charitable gift to the ABA Commission on Homelessness & Poverty online today!

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    Join Us

    We welcome you to join us. Lawyers working in government or legal/public service not-for-profit organizations engaged primarily in legal- or policy-based advocacy for low income persons qualify for reduced dues as members of the American Bar Association.

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