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Client Story: Child Support Modification Averts Homelessness
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NLSP assists both custodial and non-custodial parents. For low-income, non-custodial parents, child support obligations that exceed their ability to pay can have devastating, destabilizing consequences. In a recent case, such an unrealistic child support order nearly left a disabled client homeless.
When his child support payments were originally set, Mr. T was a successful engineer with a moderate income. However, three years ago, Mr. T suffered a stroke which left him permanently disabled. He was unable to work and moved into an assisted living facility. His only income was Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) , which was barely enough to cover the monthly fees at his assisted living facility, let alone medication and other care.
Mr. T still owed child support based on his pre-stroke income but was falling further and further behind. The Social Security Administration withheld 65% of Mr. T's monthly check to pay his child support and arrears, leaving him less than $700 to pay for his monthly expenses. His savings ran out and he fell behind on his bills at the assisted living facility and the pharmacy.
Mr . T was then hospitalized again. While he was in the hospital, he was evicted from his assisted living facility for underpayment of residence fees. The hospital threatened to release him to a homeless shelter, where he could not receive the medical care he needed.
NLSP's intervention prevented these dire results. We obtained a modification of Mr. T's child support order, enabling him to secure stable housing in a new assisted living facility where he could receive the care he required and make realistic child support payments.
More Client Stories |
Veterans Legal Assistance Project
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 NLSP is proud to be part of the Capital Area Veterans Legal Services Collaborative, a group of legal services providers and law firms in the DC area who seek to improve the accessibility, scope and delivery of effective, free civil legal services to homeless and low-income veterans.
With funding from the William S. Abell Foundation, the Collaborative is launching a new Veterans Legal Assistance Project. The Project will draw on the resources of legal services providers and the private Bar to build a sustainable network of coordinated and comprehensive resources for veterans and address gaps and recurrent needs.
NLSP has been chosen to serve as the host organization for the Veterans Legal Assistance Project. This week we are welcoming Eric Hughes as a new NLSP staff attorney who will serve as the Project Manager.
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NLSP in the News
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NLSP attorney Adrian Gottshall was interviewed for a WJLA/ABC7 news story about an apartment building in Southeast DC where residents had been without heat for the entire winter. She explained DC law regarding the right of tenants to adequate heat during winter months.
See the news story and interview here:
DC Apartment makes Heating Improvements
NLSP Executive Director Hannah Lieberman and attorneys Jennifer Caballero and Heather Hodges also appeared on the University of District of Columbia TV program "Sound Advice" to talk about NLSP's "barriers to employment" practice, including our strategic partnerships involving outreach and community education at job training programs and libraries.
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| Sound Advice: Neighborhood Legal Services |
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Program Updates
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NLSP's Polk Street Office in Deanwood, Ward 7
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* At its March meeting, NLSP's Board of Directors elected Blake Biles, recently retired Arnold & Porter partner and Anne Ford, nurse and community representative, as its new Board co-chairs. Mr. Biles and Ms. Ford replace longtime Board co-chairs, Bingham Leverich and Dr. Jimmie Jackson, who will remain as Board members.
* The DC Bar Foundation's Access to Justice grant program awarded NLSP over $400,000 in continued support for the Brief Services Unit and Polk Street Office.
* D.C. Child and Family Services Agency has renewed our Family Preservation Project grant for a second year. The grant supports two attorneys who stabilize families and keep children out of the child protection system and with appropriate caregivers through civil legal assistance, focusing primarily on family, housing and benefits matters.
* We have added off-site intake at Academy of Hope and Southeast Ministry as part of our Meyer Foundation funded outreach to participants at job training programs.
* NLSP staff attorney Burth Lopez won an appeal to the DC Court of Appeals in a third party custody case.
* Executive Director Hannah Lieberman has been appointed to the planning committee for the Judicial Conference for the DC Circuit.
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Connect with NLSP
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Stay up to date on NLSP news by following us on
Facebook and
Twitter.
Are you receiving NLSP's monthly Pro Bono Opportunities newsletter? If not, contact NLSP Pro Bono Counsel Heather Hodges at
[email protected]
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Upcoming Events
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Transgender Cultural Competency and Best Practices Training
East of the River Casehandlers training by Whitman Walker Health and TransLAW
Friday, April 10
10:00 am- noon
Benning/Dorothy I. Height Neighborhood Library
Jobseekers Legal Clinic
Friday April 17
11:00 - 2:00 pm
Watha T. Daniel/ Shaw Library
Breaking Barriers to Employment: Custody and Child Support
Wednesday April 22
2:00 - 3:15pm
MLK Library
Jobseekers Legal Clinic
Thursday April 23
10:00 - 4:00 pm
MLK Library
Consulte Con Un Abogado
Tuesday, May 12
10:00 am- noon
Petworth Library
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See more NLSP events
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Who We Are
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Neighborhood Legal Services Program is a private, non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income residents of the District of Columbia.
Intake Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:00 am- 3:00 pm
Call 202-832-NLSP (6577) or come to one of our
three neighborhood offices for assistance.
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