To create housing and economic opportunity in under-served communities in Pennsylvania and to effect systematic change for the benefit of lower-income households statewide by providing free legal services and technical assistance to community based organizations that develop affordable housing and engage in economic development activities that benefit low-income people; informing, training and supporting consumers, and those who serve consumers, on housing and utility issues; and engaging in policy analysis and promoting system innovations focused on critical housing, economic development, neighborhood revitalization and utility.

Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS) represents organizations that meet the following criteria: the organization has some lower income Board members; the project for which the organization seeks assistance will benefit lower income persons; and the group cannot afford private legal
counsel.
NOTE: RHLS does not represent individual clients.

A group seeking RHLS representation must send a letter on the organization’s letterhead describing its mission and the nature of services it needs.

Affordable housing: Single Family Homeownership (New Construction and Rehabilitation); Multi-Family Rental; SRO Housing; Emergency Housing; Section 202/811 Housing; Shared Housing; Limited Equity Cooperative; Transitional Housing; Mobile Home Parks; Tenant Management of Public Housing; LIHPRHA; Special Needs Housing; Low Income Housing Tax Credit Projects; Historic Tax Credit Projects; Public Housing Restructuring; and Housing Choice Rent Subsidy Programs

Economic development: Representation of “Affordable Lenders”; Start-Up Businesses; Section 3 Employment; Business Opportunities for Low Income People; Mixed Use Developments; Commercial Developments; Childcare Developments; Facilities Development; and Open Space and Recreation Development

Other non-profit expertise: Entity Selection; Non-Profit Mergers and Acquisitions; IRS Tax Matters for Non-Profits; and Partnerships and Joint Ventures

Project development: Assist non-profits to envision, structure, finance and operate projects; serve as in-house counsel for project duration; maximize resident project participation; and help maximize funding and/or # of units

Policy analysis: Identify critical community development policy issues, and craft policy recommendations to maximize the preservation and production of affordable housing and facilitate more comprehensive community development

Mark Schwartz, Esq.

Rachel Blake, Esq., Associate Director; Dina Schlossberg, Esq., Deputy Director and Senior Attorney for Multifamily Housing