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  Helping D.C. area residents find legal aid referrals and self-help resources  
 
Housing Housing > 
Homelessness & Shelters
 
There are 12 resources  
   Can They Do That? Your Shelter Rights Under the D.C. Homeless Services Reform Act This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page.
This resource explains your rights while living in shelter.
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
   Emergency Shelter for Families in D.C.
Information for families with children about accessing shelters in D.C.
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
   Emergency Shelter for Individuals in D.C.
Information for individuals (single adults) about accessing shelters in the District of Columbia.
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
   Frequently Asked Questions About Section 8 Housing Vouchers
Basic information about the housing voucher program (often known as Section 8).
By: Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia - NW Office

    Read this in: Spanish / Español
  
   
   How to Get a Photo I.D., Birth Certificate, or Social Security Card
This resource provides information on how to get important identification documents that you may need to apply for a job or government services.
By: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program
  
   
   Shelter Rights (Separate Website)
Information about your rights to shelter in D.C.
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
   Street Rights (Separate Website)
Your Rights on the Street
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
   VA Programs for Homeless Veterans (Separate Website)
This document tells you about the kinds of programs available to help veterans with these problems. Scroll down for the list of programs.
By: Veterans' Administration
  
   
   Voter Registration for Homeless People This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (Separate Website)
This fact sheet explains how homeless people can register to vote in federal or state elections. This document does not give legal advice. If you want to challenge election laws or practices in your state, you should talk to a lawyer or contact the National Law Center for further information.
By: National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
  
   
   Washington DC Tenant Survival Guide This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page.
This guide provides a wide-ranging discussion of issues relevant to tenants in the District of Columbia. Some of the topics covered include: - Leases - Security Deposits - Repairs - Renter's Insurance - Evictions - Rent Control - Public Housing
By: Harrison Institute for Public Law in conjunction with the District of Columbia Office of the Tenant Advocate

    Read this in: Spanish / Español
  
   
   What to Do If You've Been Denied Shelter or Asked to Leave a Shelter
Shelters that receive money from the District government through the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness must follow certain legal rules if they deny or end shelter services. This information is designed to help you if you have: 1) tried to get into a Partnership-funded shelter and been denied or 2) been told that you must leave a Partnership-funded shelter. At any step in this process, you may be represented by a lawyer. A good place to start looking for one is the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Their phone number is: (202) 328-5500.
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
   Who Do I Call If I Have a Problem in Shelter? This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page.
This resource provides information on who to contact if you have a problem while staying in a shelter.
By: Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
  
   
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