National Housing Law Project

Background

Founded in 1978, the National Housing Law Project is an advocacy organization that advocates for left-of-center housing policies that would weaken eviction laws and increase government welfare spending for housing. ¹ It also supports the use of race and gender in setting housing policy. ³

The National Housing Law Project provides legal services to low-income individuals facing eviction, foreclosure, loss of government housing assistance, and other housing issues, regardless of the circumstances. ^{1 4}

Activities

The National Housing Law Project publishes articles for activists on how to advocate for left-of-center housing policy, including welfare programs. It publishes its own policy advocacy articles, supporting left-of-center housing policy, advocating for increased spending on housing programs, and weakening eviction laws. ⁵

In 1982, the National Housing Law Project created the Housing Justice Network, an organization of more than 1,700 members, mostly attorneys. It uses the network of attorneys to advocate for its preferred housing policies and to refer individuals at risk of being evicted, foreclosed, or losing governmental housing assistance to legal representation. ⁶

The National Housing Law Project advocates for a “generous” increase in spending on housing programs by Congress, including increased access to housing assistance programs by broadening eligibility requirements. It also advocates for the federal government to “minimize” evictions and to take responsibility for the effects of an eviction on evicted people. ²

Financials

For 2020, the National Housing Law Project reported receiving $2,776,768 in contributions and about $3 million in total revenue. ⁷ Also for 2020, it reported total expenses of $2,018,610, of which approximately $1.5 million was salaries and compensation, and that it did not make any grants. ⁷

Leadership

Shamus Roller has worked as the executive director of the National Housing Law Project since 2016. He previously was the executive director of Housing California, where he oversaw over $5 billion in funding for the development of low-income housing and advocacy campaigns for left-of-center housing policy. ⁸