Policy

Recent Policy

Policy sponsored or cosponsored by the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, or on relevant topics and adopted by the ABA House of Delegates:

• Res. 607, on not broadening involuntary civil commitment criteria to address homelessness (August 2024)
• Res. 507, on using the tax code to support renters (August 2023)
• Res. 604, on preventing youth homelessness (February 2022)
  • Read coverage from the ABA Journal here.    
• Res. 612 Adopting Ten Guidelines for Residential Eviction Laws (February 2022)
• Res. 608, in support of a living wage (August 2021)
  
• Res. 607, Homeless Court Principles (August 2021)
  
• Res. 10H, on prevention of an eviction crisis, housing insecurity, and destablization of the housing market, and encouraging mitigation of long-term consequences of eviction (August 2020)
• Res. 115H,  urging legislation recognizing and promoting the human right to a basic income (August 2019)
  

For more information or for a copy of any of the resolutions on this page, contact Kelly Russo at [email protected].

*Each of these policy positions was approved by the ABA House of Delegates. For a master list of current ABA policy by topic, visit ABA Governmental Affairs Office. 

ABA Advocacy

• Urging withdrawal of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s 2020 update of the Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact Standard (March 2021)
  
• Support for Additional Supplemental Funding for Legal Services Corporation and Extension of Evictions Moratorium to Address Ongoing Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic (February 2021)
  
• Action Needed to Prevent COVID-19 Eviction Crisis (December 2020)
• The Eviction Crisis and the American Bar Association COVID-19 Pro Bono Network (October 2020)
  
• ABA Opposes Proposed HUD Rule that Would Discriminate Against Transgender Homeless Youth (September 2020)
• ABA Supports Emergency Rental Assistance to End the COVID-19 Eviction Crisis (September 2020)
• ABA supports housing proposals to provide relief and prevent homelessness (July 2020)
  
• ABA opposes U.S. Department of Agriculture revisions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Categorical Eligibility (September 2019)
• ABA calls on federal authorities to immediately end inhumane and illegal treatment of children and provide attorney access to facilities operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (June, 2019)
  
• Ten Guidelines on Court Fines and Fees (August 2018)
• ABA urges support for the Homeless Children and Youth Act--H.R. 1511 (June 2018)
• ABA urges Congress to act quickly to pass legislation that provides a fair, orderly and safe way ahead for the young people affected by the announcement that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will be ended (September, 2017)
  
• ABA urges attention to education of children in foster care - Nov. 5 letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the House Education and the Workforce Committee (November 2015)
• Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2011 – HR 32

Commission White Papers

No Such Place As "Away:" Why Banishment Is A Wrong Turn on the Path to Better and Safer Cities
(February 2010) 

Children & Youth

• Res. 604, on preventing youth homelessness (February 2022)
• Family Integrity (August 2018)
• Endorsing UN General Comment No. 31 on Children in Street Situations (February 2018)
• Addressing the Special Needs of Youth and Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness within Court Contexts (February 2018)
• Equal Access to a High-Quality Education  (August 2017)
• Providing Civic Education on the Importance of Informed Voting (August 2017)
• Blueprints for Change: Education  (August 2017)
• ABA Advocacy Letter RE: FAFSA for Homeless and Foster Care Youth (March 2017)
• ABA Advocacy Letter RE: Education of Children in Foster Care (November 2015)
• Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (August 2010)
• Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (February 2010)
• Right to Return to School (August 2009)
• Right to a High Quality Education (August 2009)
• Recommendations of May 2004 Pew Commission on Children In Foster Care (August 2005)
• Uninterrupted Educational Access and Stability for Homeless Children and Youth Final Recommendations (August 2004)
• Foster Care Independence Act (1999) (August 2002)
• Unaccompanied Immigrant Children (February 2001)
• Native American Children and Title IV-E of the Social Security Act (August 2001)
• Child Welfare/Pro Bono Work for Children (February 1999)
• Health Care for Children (1997)
• Foster Care and Child Welfare (1997)
• Child Victims of Abuse (1996)
• Child Support and Enforcement (1993)
• Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (1992)
• Rights of Children in Foster Care (1990)
• Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children (1989)
• Child Custody Disputes (1988)
• Child Support Enforcement (1987)
• Child Care Resources (1983)
• Child Support Proceedings (1977)

Courts

• Homeless Court Principles (August 2021)
• Ten Guidelines on Court Fines and Fees (2018)
• Addressing the Special Needs of Youth and Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness within Court Contexts (February 2018)
• Principles for Veterans Treatment Courts (February 2010)
• Status Offense Diversion (August 2007)
• Principles for Homeless Courts (August 2006)
• Homeless Court Program (February 2003)
• Drug Court (1994)

Decriminalization

• Decriminalization of Homelessness (February 2007)
• Decriminalization of Alcoholism (1975)

Domestic Violence

• Domestic Violence (Visitation) (August 2000)
• Domestic Violence (Opt-out of Mediation) (August 2000)
• Domestic Violence (Adolescent Victims) (August 2000)
• Domestic Violence (1997)
• Domestic Violence (1995)
• Domestic Violence (1978)

Equal Access

• Legal Counsel as a Matter of Right (August 2006)
• Digital Divide (August 2001)
• Greater Access and Assistance Projects (1997)
• Use of English Language (1997)
• Access to Justice (1996)
• Access to Justice (1995)
• Discrimination by race, national origin, or gender (1995)
• Voting Rights (1993)
• Illiteracy Among Criminal Offenders (1992)
• Equal Access to Justice (1990)
• Equal Access to Justice Act (1982)
• Abortion Financing for Indigent Women (1978)

FOIA

• FOIA and HHS re. Medicare and Medicaid (1989)
• FOIA (1984)
• FOIA (1982)
• FOIA (1974)

Health Care

• Medicaid Estate and Recovery (1995)
• Access to Health Care (1994)
• Access to Health Care (1990)
• AIDS (1990)
• Medicaid Coverage Expansion (1990)
• AIDS (1989)
• FOIA and HHS re. Medicare and Medicaid (1989)
• AIDS Discrimination (1988)
• Family and Medical Leave (1988)
• Abortion Financing for Indigent Women (1978)

Homelessness

• Decriminalization of Homelessness (February 2007)
• Principles for Homeless Courts (August 2006)
• Expanding the Federal Definition of Homelessness (August 2006)
• Access to Mail Delivery for People Who Are Homeless (August 2005)
• Homeless Court Program (February 2003)
• Free Legal Representation/State and Local Bar Association Efforts to Prevent Homelessness (1994) [ARCHIVED]

Housing

• Housing on the Basis of Lawful Source of Income (August 2017)
  
• Implementation of the Human Right to Adequate Housing (August 2013)
• Affordable Housing Trust Fund (February 2005)
• Section 8 Low-Income Housing Voucher Recommendation(August 2003)
• Housing and Community Economic Development (August 1999)
• Affordability and Availability of Housing (1995)
• Availability of Housing (1995)
• Public Housing (1992) [ARCHIVED]
• Due process rights of public housing tenants (1990)
• Housing Discrimination (1987)
• Discrimination Based on Homeless Status/Public/Private Initiatives in Low-cost Housing (1986)
• Discrimination in Housing (1980)

Native Americans

• Native American Children and Title IV-E of the Social Security Act (August 2001)
• American Indian Religious Freedom (1990)
• Indian Treaty Obligations (1980)

Other

• Living Wage (August 2021)
  
• Basic Income (August 2019)
  
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (August 2014)
• The Human Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition (February 2014)
• Anti-Predatory Lending (August 2002)
• Public Education (February 2000)
• Farmworkers (August 1999)
• Environmental Justice (1993)

Pro Bono & Legal Services

• Legal Access Job Corps (August 2014)
• Pro Bono Work for Elderly (February 1999)
• Indigent Defense (Representation, Standards for Indigent Defense Systems, Adequate Funding) (1998)
• Expansion of Pro Bono Legal Services (1995)
• Funding for Legal Service Programs (1995)
• Community Service Programs/Pro Bono for Law Schools (1993)
• Indigent Defense Programs (1991)
• Standards for Indigent Defense Services (1991)
• Legal Services Corporation (1989)
• Loan Assistance for Public Interest Work (1988)
• Pro Bono Work by Government Attorneys (1984)
• Private Lawyer Involvement in Legal Services to the Poor (1984)
• Indigent Defense Services (1979)
• Pro Bono Work (1975)
• Legal Assistance to the Institutionalized (1975)

Programs & Benefits

• Due Process for TANF Recipients (August 2001)
• Hague Convention on International Protection of Adults(February 2000)
• Needle Exchange Programs (1997)
• Benefits for Legal Immigrants (1997)
• Federal Benefit Programs (1997)
• Disability Benefits (1996)
• Earned Income Tax Credit (1996)
• Social Security Benefits (1996)
• Social Security (1995)
• Denial of Public Benefits (1995)
• Welfare Funding (1992)
• Social Security Outreach (1991)
• Federal Disability Benefit Programs (1986)

Veterans

• Learn more about The Homeless Veterans Prevention Act, S.980
  
• Legal Services for Veterans (February 2017)
• News Brief: Restore Honor to Servicemembers (November 2015)
• Law School Veterans Law Clinics (August 2014)
• Principles for Veterans Treatment Courts (February 2010)