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. 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)
  
• Res. 301, Endorsing UN General Comment No. 31 on Children in Street Situations (February 2018)
• Res. 113, calling for "integrated, systemic approaches within administrative, civil, and criminal court contexts to address the special needs of youth and young adults experiencing homelessness" (February 2018)

For more information or for a copy of any of the resolutions on this page, contact Kelly Russo at homeless@americanbar.org.

*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

• 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)
  
• 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

• 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 Remain in School (August 2009)
• Right to a High Quality Education (August 2009)
• Status Offense Diversion (August 2007)
• 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

• 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

• Status Offense Diversion (August 2007)
• 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

• 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)