Amber W. Harding
@amberwharding.bsky.social
ED of Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Views expressed are mine. More people need to have orange cat energy, imho.
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
As pro bono week wraps up, we want to share our appreciation for our amazing volunteers. On Tuesday, wepresented awards to several exceptional volunteers and law firms who help us provide excellent legal representation to our clients. Read more here: www.legalclinic.org/legal-clinic...
October 24, 2025 at 10:18 PM
As pro bono week wraps up, we want to share our appreciation for our amazing volunteers. On Tuesday, wepresented awards to several exceptional volunteers and law firms who help us provide excellent legal representation to our clients. Read more here: www.legalclinic.org/legal-clinic...
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Announcing our new Legal Monitor Program! Join us to help protect the rights of unhoused DC residents in interactions with law enforcement. You do not have to be a lawyer to become a Legal Monitor. Sign up today!
September 17, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Announcing our new Legal Monitor Program! Join us to help protect the rights of unhoused DC residents in interactions with law enforcement. You do not have to be a lawyer to become a Legal Monitor. Sign up today!
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Proud to sign onto an amicus brief led by @washlaw4cr.bsky.social & @aclu-dc.bsky.social supporting @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social lawsuit to stop the federal deployment of National Guard.
DC's 200-year fight for Home Rule is inextricably linked to racial justice.
www.washlaw.org/civil-rights...
DC's 200-year fight for Home Rule is inextricably linked to racial justice.
www.washlaw.org/civil-rights...
Civil Rights and Legal Services Community Unite to Stop Policing by National Guard in DC - The Washington Lawyers' Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACTS Linda Paris, linda_paris@washlaw.org, 202-308-5186 (mobile) Civil rights and legal services community unite to stop policing by National Guard in DC WASHINGTON — A...
www.washlaw.org
September 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Proud to sign onto an amicus brief led by @washlaw4cr.bsky.social & @aclu-dc.bsky.social supporting @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social lawsuit to stop the federal deployment of National Guard.
DC's 200-year fight for Home Rule is inextricably linked to racial justice.
www.washlaw.org/civil-rights...
DC's 200-year fight for Home Rule is inextricably linked to racial justice.
www.washlaw.org/civil-rights...
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
This Wednesday, Congress will discuss a bill to put people in jail/fine them for sleeping outside in DC. DC residents have no vote in Congress, yet some people in Congress want to rewrite our laws AND lock people up for being homeless.
Tell Congress NO.
www.votervoice.net/NHLC/campaig...
Tell Congress NO.
www.votervoice.net/NHLC/campaig...
VoterVoice - Error 404
https://www.votervoice.net/NHLC/campaigns/130008/respond
September 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
This Wednesday, Congress will discuss a bill to put people in jail/fine them for sleeping outside in DC. DC residents have no vote in Congress, yet some people in Congress want to rewrite our laws AND lock people up for being homeless.
Tell Congress NO.
www.votervoice.net/NHLC/campaig...
Tell Congress NO.
www.votervoice.net/NHLC/campaig...
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
We are hiring a new member of our Communications and Development team! Please spread the word! www.legalclinic.org/jobs-and-int...
Communications and Development Team Member – The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
www.legalclinic.org
September 3, 2025 at 4:25 PM
We are hiring a new member of our Communications and Development team! Please spread the word! www.legalclinic.org/jobs-and-int...
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
We're building a strong rapid response to counter the abuse of power by the Trump Administration-- hiring a Civil Rights Attorney to strengthen our team's work to ensure that homeless people can live their lives w/out police harassment and property destruction. www.legalclinic.org/jobs-and-int...
Temporary Civil Rights Attorney – The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
www.legalclinic.org
August 20, 2025 at 5:30 PM
We're building a strong rapid response to counter the abuse of power by the Trump Administration-- hiring a Civil Rights Attorney to strengthen our team's work to ensure that homeless people can live their lives w/out police harassment and property destruction. www.legalclinic.org/jobs-and-int...
DC, hope to see you tomorrow at the @freedcproject.bsky.social rally standing up for the rights and autonomy of all DC residents!
August 10, 2025 at 6:45 PM
DC, hope to see you tomorrow at the @freedcproject.bsky.social rally standing up for the rights and autonomy of all DC residents!
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
We are watching closely as the federal government broadcasts various threats to folks without homes in D.C. We want to be clear about a few things. 🧵
August 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
We are watching closely as the federal government broadcasts various threats to folks without homes in D.C. We want to be clear about a few things. 🧵
Trump starts "7 days of action" tonight with forced hospitalization/institutionalization/arrest of homeless people in DC. No warning given to anyone who might have gotten people off the street humanely.
August 8, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Trump starts "7 days of action" tonight with forced hospitalization/institutionalization/arrest of homeless people in DC. No warning given to anyone who might have gotten people off the street humanely.
Budget advocacy always makes me sad, and I know it does for other people too. There's something really jarring about seeing the actual monetary value electeds put on the rights and lives of people you know, maybe people you share a history/identity with. It is so telling, and rarely in a good way.
July 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Budget advocacy always makes me sad, and I know it does for other people too. There's something really jarring about seeing the actual monetary value electeds put on the rights and lives of people you know, maybe people you share a history/identity with. It is so telling, and rarely in a good way.
We absolutely need it.
On raising taxes, @chmnmendelson.bsky.social is mostly opposed: "In my view, if we want to make the tax burden more progressive, let's look at where it's too high, for middle-class families, and reduce that. If we're going to increase, we should only do it when we absolutely need it."
July 13, 2025 at 7:05 PM
We absolutely need it.
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
We know
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
We know
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Some lowlights:
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Some lowlights:
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Some highlights:
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Some highlights:
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social proposed budget is out. While we are very grateful for all the work the Council has done to mitigate the harm in the mayor's proposed budget, there is still a long way to go for this budget to reflect DC values, particularly in the area of homelessness & housing:
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social proposed budget is out. While we are very grateful for all the work the Council has done to mitigate the harm in the mayor's proposed budget, there is still a long way to go for this budget to reflect DC values, particularly in the area of homelessness & housing:
Thread!!
The first Budget Vote is on Monday. Check out this thread on some of our highest priorities for funding and policy change and take action at the link! @chmnmendelson.bsky.social
July 11, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Thread!!
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
We know the solution to street homelessness and encampments is housing, not displacement. So why is there money for evicting people from encampments but not money for housing those same people?
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
July 9, 2025 at 6:02 PM
We know the solution to street homelessness and encampments is housing, not displacement. So why is there money for evicting people from encampments but not money for housing those same people?
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Rapid re-housing creates a neverending cycle of homelessness for families in DC. The Council either needs to reform it or fund enough vouchers to break this cycle. The program keeps getting worse.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social @cmzparker5.bsky.social
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social @cmzparker5.bsky.social
July 9, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Rapid re-housing creates a neverending cycle of homelessness for families in DC. The Council either needs to reform it or fund enough vouchers to break this cycle. The program keeps getting worse.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social @cmzparker5.bsky.social
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social @cmzparker5.bsky.social
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
The mayor has created this family homelessness crisis in large part thru her mass rapid re-housing terminations. Now her proposed fix is to force children to share sleeping quarters w/ strangers. We call upon the Council to reject this "fix."
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
July 9, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The mayor has created this family homelessness crisis in large part thru her mass rapid re-housing terminations. Now her proposed fix is to force children to share sleeping quarters w/ strangers. We call upon the Council to reject this "fix."
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Update: D.C. Elected Leaders Are Failing Unhoused Residents, But That Can Change With Your Help!
www.legalclinic.org/d-c-elected-...
www.legalclinic.org/d-c-elected-...
D.C. Elected Leaders Are Failing Unhoused Residents, But That Can Change With Your Help!
On Monday, July 14, the D.C. Council will take its first vote on our local budget and many legal changes that will impact the lives of D.C. residents. As we discussed here, the mayor’s budget propo…
www.legalclinic.org
July 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Update: D.C. Elected Leaders Are Failing Unhoused Residents, But That Can Change With Your Help!
www.legalclinic.org/d-c-elected-...
www.legalclinic.org/d-c-elected-...
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Terminating 1000s from housing w/ no extensions/appeals/other housing options is a recipe for disaster.
“These policies will have people cycling right back into shelter. However, sending families w/ minor children back to congregate shelters certainly isn’t the solution.”
wamu.org/story/25/07/...
“These policies will have people cycling right back into shelter. However, sending families w/ minor children back to congregate shelters certainly isn’t the solution.”
wamu.org/story/25/07/...
D.C. could put some unhoused families in communal shelters again, worrying advocates
Advocates and lawmakers fear the change would reverse the progress the city's made since closing the dilapidated D.C. General shelter in 2018. Officials see it as a stopgap measure as shelters near ca...
wamu.org
July 8, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Terminating 1000s from housing w/ no extensions/appeals/other housing options is a recipe for disaster.
“These policies will have people cycling right back into shelter. However, sending families w/ minor children back to congregate shelters certainly isn’t the solution.”
wamu.org/story/25/07/...
“These policies will have people cycling right back into shelter. However, sending families w/ minor children back to congregate shelters certainly isn’t the solution.”
wamu.org/story/25/07/...
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
The Mayor's proposing making rapid rehousing worse (no extensions, no meaningful appeals), taking away health & safety protections for homeless families (families in shared sleeping quarters), & little to no housing that ends homelessness. Take action! actionnetwork.org/letters/reje...
Reject Subtitle K: Don't Send Families Back into Congregate Shelters, Stop RRH Harm, & Fund Vouchers
Unfortunately, the mayor's budget proposal is full of harmful cuts to critical programs and services that assist D.C.'s lowest-income residents. Despite an insufficient amount of funding for housing v...
actionnetwork.org
July 8, 2025 at 9:33 PM
The Mayor's proposing making rapid rehousing worse (no extensions, no meaningful appeals), taking away health & safety protections for homeless families (families in shared sleeping quarters), & little to no housing that ends homelessness. Take action! actionnetwork.org/letters/reje...
“Communal shelter is the most dangerous housing model for domestic violence victims and children in the District's homeless shelter system. Victims and children living in close proximity to perpetrators of violence is one of the most dangerous and most common scenarios in communal shelters...
July 7, 2025 at 7:29 PM
“Communal shelter is the most dangerous housing model for domestic violence victims and children in the District's homeless shelter system. Victims and children living in close proximity to perpetrators of violence is one of the most dangerous and most common scenarios in communal shelters...
Bowser 2014: “I will not treat our homeless families like emergency flood victims, housing them in city recreation centers."
Bowser 2025: Proposes to place families in congregate shelters, undoing decades of health & safety protections.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
Bowser 2025: Proposes to place families in congregate shelters, undoing decades of health & safety protections.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
July 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Bowser 2014: “I will not treat our homeless families like emergency flood victims, housing them in city recreation centers."
Bowser 2025: Proposes to place families in congregate shelters, undoing decades of health & safety protections.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social
Bowser 2025: Proposes to place families in congregate shelters, undoing decades of health & safety protections.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social