Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Founding President & Director-Counsel of Tzedek DC, testified today to the DC Council Judiciary & Public Safety Committee of the Whole regarding recommendations of the D.C. Police Reform Commission. Ariel’s testimony addressed one of many issues highlighted in the Commission Report: the impact of parking and minor traffic infraction tickets on DC residents who are in or on the brink of poverty.
Read the full testimony here.
Law Bars Renewal of Driver’s Licenses for Residents with Unpaid Fines—Harming DC Residents’ Ability to Get and Keep Jobs and Exposing Thousands to Risks of Arrest, with Black Residents Arrested for Driving Without a Permit at 19 Times the Rate of White Residents
DC is One of Just Three Jurisdictions in the U.S. Clinging to this Counterproductive Policy
Today, a coalition of 32+ civil rights, faith-based, consumer protection, and justice advocacy groups released a letter and new report on how DC’s “Clean Hands” law disqualifies tens of thousands of residents from renewing their driver’s licenses as punishment for as little as $101 of unpaid fines or fees to the DC Government. Titled “Driving DC to Opportunity,” the report was prepared by coalition leader Tzedek DC and a pro bono team from the law firm Venable LLP. Highlighting real-life stories from District residents impacted by this discriminatory law, which in effect ties the ability to drive lawfully in DC to wealth, the report calls for immediate reform.
“Until I get a license, I fear that I will continue to have an extremely hard time supporting my family and achieving my dreams.”
- Salle, a DC parent of school-age children and a student at the University of the District of Columbia who is disqualified by DC’s Clean Hands Law from renewing her license because she has unpaid fines and fees from parking tickets and one moving violation. Salle’s video testimony is available here.
“Without a driver’s license, I can no longer take care of myself, I now suffer from depression, and I feel like less than a full man.”
- Norris, a DC father and grandfather who previously worked for a mortgage company, accumulated unpaid ticket fines, and under the Clean Hands Law is disqualified from renewing his driver’s license. Norris’s video testimony is available here.
In response to these and other stories of Tzedek DC clients unable to renew their driver’s licenses as punishment for unpaid fines, and to the related, extensive data analyzed in the report, Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Tzedek DC’s President and Director-Counsel, said:
“Changing this obsolete and unfair law is one of the simplest things the District can do to advance racial equity and equal opportunity in our community. When people can’t renew their driver’s licenses simply because they can’t get caught up on their debts, everyone loses. Reform is urgently needed.”
The report documents how Black community members in DC receive 65% of traffic tickets despite making up just 43% of DC’s population, imposing in effect a discriminatory driving tax that many residents of color cannot afford, with white DC households having 81 times more wealth than Black DC households.
The report shows that, by making it dramatically more difficult for residents to become or remain employed, DC’s Clean Hands law ultimately undermines the District’s ability to collect on debt. It further shows that the current law forces residents disqualified from renewal into a no-win choice between driving without a license and being unable to meet their daily obligations such as childcare, groceries, or getting a senior to a medical appointment. The report details DC Metropolitan Police Department data indicating that Black DC residents are arrested at 19 times the rate of White DC residents for the offense of driving without a permit.
While such coercive payment-based license schemes were once thought necessary to ensure collection of debts, it is now clear they are counterproductive and harmful. DC is now a national and regional outlier, one of just three jurisdictions in the United States that cling to this harmful, outdated approach. The report urges the DC Council to end this “cruel, counterproductive” policy, concluding that “wealth should not determine who can keep driving on DC’s streets.”
ACLU of the District of Columbia
Ayuda
Blind Justice
Bread for the City
Building Bridges Across the River
Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB)
CARECEN
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington
Coalition for Motorist Rights (joined after report's issuance)
Color of Change
DC Affordable Law Firm
DC Bar Pro Bono Center
DC Fiscal Policy Institute
DC Justice Lab (joined after report's issuance)
DC KinCare Alliance
DC Volunteers Lawyers Project
Fines and Fees Justice Center
Howard University School of Law Human and Civil Rights Clinic
Institute for Justice (joined after report’s issuance)
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
Jews United for Justice
Legal Aid Justice Center
Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia
Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC)
Peter Edelman, Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law and Public Policy, Georgetown University Law Center
Pro Bono Institute
Rising for Justice
Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan DC
Tzedek DC
United Planning Organization
University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law
Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
Washington Interfaith Network (WIN)
Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services
Tzedek DC celebrates the federal government’s actions to end the inclusion of credit history and credit scores in evaluating immigrants that had previously been mandated under the Public Charge Rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Tzedek DC was one of a number of consumer, anti-poverty, and civil rights groups that sued the DHS over the Public Charge Rule. In particular, we opposed a provision requiring immigration officials to consider an immigrant's credit report and credit score in the determination of whether an immigrant is likely to become a “public charge,” and therefore could by law be denied lawful permanent residency or some visa applications to the United States.
Credit scores only measure a borrower’s likelihood of repaying on a credit obligation—they do not reveal the most important determinant of whether an immigrant is likely to become a public charge, (i.e., the person’s current and future income). Credit reports and credit scores are also subject to a high rate of errors. For these and other reasons, Tzedek DC and our allies argued that credit scores are an especially poor indicator of an immigrant or their family’s long-term earning and self-reliance potential.
President Biden’s recent Executive Order recognizes that it is “essential to ensure that our laws and policies encourage full participation by immigrants, including refugees, in our civic life; that immigration processes and other benefits are delivered effectively and efficiently; and that the Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and other barriers that prevent immigrants from accessing government services available to them.”
In keeping with that commitment, DHS has as of March 10, 2021, announced that it no longer will defend or implement the challenged provisions of the Public Charge Rule. This change in policy restores the approach that previously has been in place since 1999 under which DHS will not consider a person’s credit score as part of the public charge determination.
Tzedek DC President and Director-Counsel Ariel Levinson-Waldman said:
We applaud the Biden Administration for this this major step forward in ending a rule that created fear and imposed undue barriers to our immigrant neighbors and client community members who are in pursuit of legal status. We especially appreciate the outstanding work done on the issue by Tzedek DC Staff Attorneys Josh Levin and Linda Coe and pro bono litigation counsel Harvey Reiter and colleagues at Stinson LLP.
Drawing from the Jewish teachings of “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue,” Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents with low incomes dealing with the often devastating consequences of abusive debt collection practices and other consumer-related issues.
John Blake, Tzedek DC Staff Attorney and UDC Law alum, recently testified to the DC Council in support of the Eviction Record Sealing Authority Amendment Act of 2019 on behalf of Tzedek DC and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington.
The proposed bill would protect DC residents from being denied rental housing on the basis of past evictions by automatically sealing eviction records or removing them from the residents’ record after three years and by prohibiting discrimination in housing based on a person having a sealed eviction record. DC residents with black marks on their record from eviction suits have greater difficulty finding rental housing. Some residents are unaware of eviction filings on their record, assuming that moving out or paying their rent back after the filing was made would settle the issue. Even in cases where an eviction was baseless or made in error, these eviction reports can still show up in public record searches or on specialty consumer reports used by housing providers to screen tenants for rental housing.
Enacting the types of protections reflected in the bill could provide relief to those facing financial hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic or other factors and, as the testimony noted, would “have a direct impact on our clients’ ability to continue to live in the District.” Once the currently operative emergency moratoria on eviction and debt collection lawsuits end in 2021, the bill’s protections can help ensure that vulnerable DC residents can continue to reside in DC without negative housing records ruining their chances of finding rental housing while they begin the process of financial recovery.
Councilmember Mary Cheh, who introduced the bill, said, “Eviction records can and do have a lasting, dramatic impact on a tenant’s ability to find housing.... As you can imagine, the harm caused by these permanent records is particularly acute for low-income residents and those who have experienced homelessness." Councilmembers Charles Allen, Anita Bonds, Brandon Todd, Brianne Nadeau, Elissa Silverman, and David Grosso co-introduced the bill.
John Blake recently joined Tzedek DC after several years of practicing in the Economic Security Unit as a Westwood Fellow at Neighborhood Legal Services Project. Mr. Blake is a 2018 magna cum laude graduate of the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, where Tzedek DC is headquartered and where he gained experience as a Student Attorney in the Housing and Consumer Law Clinic.
Click here to read the full testimony, and click here to read the Supplemental Written Submission.
On September 21, Tzedek DC and friends celebrated our mission at the first-ever virtual Eat Well, Do Justice!, raising an Eat Well Do Justice-record $274,000 in support of our mission over the course of a fun, substantive, and tasty bagel-themed evening. A huge thank you to all who made the evening a special one!
The program was emceed by Emmy Award-winning television journalist and author David Gregory, who led attendees in a reflection on the legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Z”L), a “fierce trailblazer for equal rights.” Her 2018 letter to Tzedek DC applauding our “efforts to serve a pressing need in our own community” will inspire our work for years to come.
Emcee David Gregory pausing for a moment of silence in honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The program kicked off with a video, including testimonies from client community members and community partner stakeholders. Founding Director Ariel Levinson-Waldman shared remarks, emphasizing that “[b]eing poor is not a crime, and is not a moral or character flaw. Every community member deserves to have full economic citizenship, and with your help, we are, step by step, getting closer to achieving that goal.”
Attendees were also able to experience beautiful virtual performances from Grammy Award-winning band The War on Drugs, and renowned vocalist Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, as well as remarks from DC Councilmembers Elissa Silverman and Robert White. UDC David A. Clarke School of Law Dean Renée McDonald Hutchins emphasized the school’s saying, “practice law, promote justice, change lives,” and noted that “Tzedek DC’s mission and work embody that saying so well.”
From left to right: Client Esan Fullington from the EWDJ video, The War on Drugs guitarist Adam Granduciel, Vocalist Anthony Moredchai Tzvi Russell, DC Councilmember Elissa Silverman, DC Councilmember Robert White, UDC School of Law Dean Renée McDonald Hutchins
Though the event was virtual, attendees enjoyed a delicious variety of bagels and schmears, many of them picked up from the Eat Well Do Justice staging station at Temple Sinai’s parking lot in DC. The four talented and generous local bagel maker teams were recruited by honorary event chair Bonnie Benwick, pictured above preparing the bagel gift bags. Special thank yous to Jeremiah Cohen of Bullfrog Bagels, Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira of Call Your Mother, Oliver and Allee Cox of Pearl’s Bagels, and Yael Krigman of Baked By Yael.
Pearl’s Bagels Owners and Chefs Oliver and Allee Cox were this year’s winner with their delicious sesame seed bagel topped with a veggie cream cheese schmear featuring red bell peppers, carrots, and celery. Pearl’s Bagels won both the popular and the judges’ vote, and while it was a close race, we hope to avoid any allegations of a “schmear” campaign as Tzedek DC Board Chair Irv Nathan warned!
Honorary event chair Bonnie Benwick at Temple Sinai
We are grateful to guest judges Judy Lichtman, of the National Partnership for Women & Families, Michelle Singletary, writer of The Washington Post’s “Color of Money” personal finance column, and Chef Ed Hardy, 2019 Eat Well, Do Justice champion! The judges certainly took care during their deliberations, with Ed even constructing the ultimate bagel whiteboard matrix to help him pick his favorite.
From left to right: Emcee David Gregory and Judges Judy Lichtman, Michelle Singletary, and Ed Hardy
The Bagel Ballot was the fourth year of the Eat Well, Do Justice event co-chaired by Courtney Weiner, June Kress, and Nina Simon. The event’s host committee and sponsors were also instrumental to the evening’s success. For those who couldn’t tune in, visit the event webpage to watch an abridged event recording.
As announced at the event, gifts to Tzedek DC are being matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000 thanks to the generosity of event Host Committee members Thorn and Sharis Pozen. That match has not yet closed. Please consider donating now to double the impact of your gift.
As in 2019, the 2020 Eat Well, Do Justice event sold out days before the event. We don’t know if 2021’s Eat Well, Do Justice event will be in person or virtual, but we hope you will join us and secure your tickets when they become available this summer!
The DC Council has enacted key COVID-19 credit report reforms. As part of a unanimous vote on a larger emergency and temporary legislative package, the Council on June 9, 2020, enacted protections for residents at risk of impaired credit reports arising from delayed or missed payments resulting from financial hardships due to the COVID-19 emergency.
The law continues the right, previously enacted earlier in 2020, for DC residents to file a personal statement with a credit report agency indicating that they have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 emergency and have that statement included in their credit report file. The new law adds the important protection prohibiting users of credit reports (including landlords), from considering adverse information from the public health emergency period (currently extended through July 24, 2020) for all residents who have filed such a statement. These statutory protections are expected to be in effect at least until March 2021 and may be further extended by the Council.
DC is the first jurisdiction in the country to enact such a right for residents facing credit report harms from the COVID-19 crisis, which has caused massive unemployment, wage loss, and financial upheaval for DC residents and Americans around the country. Credit report impairment is an issue of racial justice nationally and especially in DC, where even pre-pandemic, 43 percent of DC residents from communities of color have a debt in collections, more than quadruple the rate for white DC residents.
DC residents will need to affirmatively file the personal statement to protect their rights under this new law. Tzedek DC and community partners will be issuing guidance to assist DC residents in filing their COVID-19 personal statements with the credit reporting agencies. DC residents or service organizations with questions on the reforms should contact Tzedek DC Staff Attorney Linda Coe at lc@tzedekdc.org.
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr., who introduced and championed the credit reforms in the DC Council, said: “I wanted to help residents whose credit could be negatively impacted by coronavirus emergency.... I’m thankful [to] Tzedek DC for bringing this issue to my attention.”
Tzedek DC Founding President and Director-Counsel Ariel Levinson-Waldman said:
We thank Councilmember Robert White for his leadership on these protections, as well as Chairman Phil Mendelson and fellow members of the Council for working on these issues and voting unanimously to support these vital consumer protections for vulnerable families experiencing debt-related problems. While much work remains to be done, these protections represent a significant step forward.
Along with our Strategic Partner, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, we appreciate the advocacy on these issues by our DC service provider partners at Amara Legal Center, Children’s Law Center, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, National Consumer League, and Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. We are also grateful to national leaders on these issues at Color of Change and the National Consumer Law Center, which have provided critical support and input.
We Need Credit and Debt Protections in COVID-19 Relief (Color of Change, March 2020)
Credit Reports and the COVID-19 Crisis: What States Can Do (National Consumer Law Center, March 2020)
Tzedek DC And Allies’ Recommended Consumer Protection Provisions for the DC Council Emergency Bill (April 3, 2020)
Tzedek DC joins the Jewish community and our allied communities from all faiths and backgrounds in condemning state-sponsored violence and systematic inequalities that have led to the wealth, justice, and health disparities across the country that persist along racial and economic lines. These gaps have led to systems and policies that have failed our communities of color. We mourn the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, join the chorus of support for those protesting peacefully, and restate our ongoing commitment to our work on the ground to repair the access to justice and wealth gaps in our DC community.
The Council of the District of Columbia passed on Tuesday additional critical consumer protection provisions advocated for by Tzedek DC, the JCRC of Greater Washington, and anti-poverty allies to support vulnerable DC community members experiencing financial crisis from the pandemic.
First, in the Coronavirus Omnibus Emergency Amendment Act, Section 8, the Council enacted protections for residents at risk of impaired credit reports arising from delayed payments during the pandemic and 60 days following. The bill creates a right for DC residents to seek a COVID-19 alert to accompany their credit report and prohibits users of the credit report from factoring in negative information from the pandemic period and 60 days following.
Second, the Council passed the Foreclosure Moratorium Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, a measure introduced by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau. The mortgage relief previously passed by the Council did not apply to all homeowners, and the foreclosure moratorium included in federal law only applies to homeowners with federally backed mortgages. This bill closes existing gaps by broadening critical protections to apply to all DC homeowners.
Tzedek DC, JCRC, and other allied anti-poverty groups noted in an April 3 letter urged the Council to pass debt collection reforms, which passed in April, and to adopt these measures now adopted by the Council. The credit reform proposal was developed and advocated for in partnership with national allies at the National Consumer Law Center and Color of Change.
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr., who introduced the credit reform legislation in the DC Council, said in a May 5 tweet: “I wanted to help residents whose credit could be negatively impacted by coronavirus emergency.... I’m thankful [to] Tzedek DC for bringing this issue to my attention.”
Ronald Halber, JCRC’s Executive Director, commented: “The Torah commands us to champion the interests of the poor. These systemic reforms enacted by the Council apply that principle in important, concrete terms. Credit impairment and homeownership issues remain important issues of economic and racial justice.”
Tzedek DC Founding President and Director-Counsel Ariel Levinson-Waldman said: “We thank Councilmember White and Councilmember Nadeau and colleagues for their leadership on these bills, as well as Chairman Phil Mendelson and fellow members of the Council for voting unanimously to support these vital consumer protections for vulnerable families experiencing debt-related problems.”
Drawing from the Jewish teachings of “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue,” Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents dealing with the often devastating consequences of abusive debt collection practices and other consumer-related issues. Tzedek DC is headquartered at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. Most of our clients are women, and nearly all are from communities of color.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) is the public affairs and community relations arm of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, representing over 100 Jewish organizations and synagogues throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. JCRC focuses on government relations, Israel advocacy, inter-group relations, and social justice.
Debido a la reciente aprobación de una legislación federal, miles de residentes de DC ya están recibiendo cheques del gobierno de hasta $1,200 que han sido depositados directamente en sus cuentas bancarias. Pronto, miles de residentes más recibirán sus cheques por correo.
Gracias a una nueva ley de DC que entrará en efecto el 10 de abril del 2020, los cobradores de deudas no podrán agarrar los fondos que usted recibió del estímulo mediante nuevos embargos bancarios en DC y tampoco podrán presentar una nueva demanda para el cobro de deudas en los tribunales de DC. Esta ley estará en efecto durante el periodo de la emergencia de COVID-19 y hasta por lo menos el 30 de junio del 2020, pero puede que se prolongue.
Si un cobrador está exigiendo que usted le de cualquier porción del estímulo que usted recibió o está tratando de embargar fondos que han sido depositados directamente a su cuenta bancaria mediante nuevos embargos, ESTO ES ILEGAL.
Si a usted le han embargado estos o cualesquiera otros fondos durante este periodo de emergencia, déjenos saber, ya que pueda que el equipo de Tzedek DC le pueda ayudar.
Si su banco toma cualquier porción del depósito que usted recibió del estímulo para cubrir retiros en exceso o comisiones bancarias que usted pueda deberle a su banco, pídale a su banco que los anule, y puede que Tzedek DC le pueda ayudar.
Llámenos al (202) 274-7386 para una consulta en inglés o en español. Tzedek DC es un centro de interés público con sede en la Escuela de Derechos David A. Clarke de la UDC. Nuestros servicios se le proveen gratuitamente a los residentes de DC.
As a result of recent federal legislation, many thousands of DC residents are already receiving government checks of up to $1,200 deposited directly into their bank accounts. Thousands more will be getting their checks by mail soon.
Thanks to a new DC law that took effect April 10, 2020, debt collectors cannot seize your stimulus funds through new garnishments or bank attachments in DC and cannot file a new debt collection lawsuit in DC courts. This law is in effect during the COVID-19 emergency period and through at least June 30, 2020. It may be extended further.
If a creditor is demanding any of your stimulus money or seeking to garnish funds deposited directly into your bank account through new garnishments or bank attachments, THIS IS ILLEGAL.
If these or any other funds are being garnished or attached during this emergency period, let us know, as our Tzedek DC team may be able to help.
If your bank takes any of your stimulus deposit to offset overdrafts or fees that you may owe your bank, request that your bank reverse this, and Tzedek DC may be able to help.
Call us at (202) 274-7386 for a consult in English or Spanish. Tzedek DC is a Public Interest Center headquartered at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. Our services are provided free of charge to DC residents.
WASHINGTON, DC—The Council of the District of Columbia yesterday passed the COVID-19 Response Supplemental Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, which includes key measures providing relief to DC residents facing the threats of debt collection lawsuits and resulting economic harms during the public health emergency and the months following.
These reforms protect DC residents, during the period of the formal public health emergency declared by the Mayor and for 60 days after, from being sued or having their wages or bank accounts seized in debt collection lawsuits. The enacted protections extend to federal stimulus funds received by eligible residents with lower incomes. As Tzedek DC, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC), and other allied local anti-poverty groups noted in urging the Council to pass these measures, debt collection has emerged as a civil rights issue: over 43% of African-Americans in DC have a debt in collections, more than quadruple the rate for white DC residents.
Tzedek DC Founding President and Director-Counsel Ariel Levinson-Waldman said: “We thank Chairman Mendelson and fellow members of the Council for voting unanimously to support this important relief provision, and we applaud Attorney General Racine, whose team worked closely with ours in crafting key aspects of these protections. Vulnerable families will have some increased breathing room to be able to address the financially toxic combination of dramatic income loss and mounting personal debts. We are also grateful that the bill ensures that federal stimulus payments will be available for residents to rely on for basic life necessities, including food and medical supplies.”
Guila Franklin Siegel, JCRC’s Associate Director, commented that “The Torah commands us to champion the poor, and we applaud the DC Council for protecting vulnerable families struggling with debts in the midst of the pandemic and related economic emergencies and helping give all in the DC community the ability to maintain economic well-being.”
Drawing from the Jewish teachings of “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue,” Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents dealing with the often devastating consequences of abusive debt collection practices and other consumer-related issues. Tzedek DC is headquartered at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. Most of our clients are women, and nearly all are from communities of color.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) is the public affairs and community relations arm of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington representing over 100 Jewish organizations and synagogues throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The JCRC focuses on government relations, Israel advocacy, inter-group relations, and social justice.
Community members who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 should consider contacting their bank lender, loan servicer, or credit card company and asking them to waive or cancel fees, including late fees, monthly maintenance fees, and overdraft fees. Also, people having trouble making payments should consider asking about delaying payment due dates with no penalties. Some lenders are already granting these requests on a case-by-case basis, but only when a borrower asks.
Lenders are not (as of March 25, 2020) legally required to automatically waive fees, so you must ask your lender to waive your fees or modify your payments due to COVID-19.
To reduce the risk of scams, individuals should initiate the request, rather than responding to a call or email from an unknown person.
Beware of anyone calling you and identifying themselves as a lender as this may be a scam – it’s unlikely that your lender will contact you offering to ease your debt. Also be aware that Washington DC has an interest rate cap of 24% annually on consumer loans. Many online lenders are offering loans with interest rates higher than this cap that may be illegal in DC.
If you are experiencing anything you are concerned may be a scam, contact Tzedek DC. Also, the DC Office of the Attorney General has set up a helpful resources page here and can be contacted at (202) 727-3400.
Friends,
We are sending you an elbow, foot shake, or your Coronavirus-era greeting of choice! I’m writing to update on what we at Tzedek DC have been seeing and doing in the last week as this extraordinary and fluid public emergency has intensified. Below is a recap on:
The DC Courts, which, as we had urged, have suspended debt collection cases through May 1.
The emergency legislation passed yesterday by the DC Council, which includes key provisions to address the crisis of income reduction and debt facing so many vulnerable DC families.
Tzedek DC’s continued, full-time client work and updated remote intake processes during the public health emergency.
We welcome your input and are grateful for the broad community support for Tzedek DC and our client families, and we’re more determined than ever. I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe.
With gratitude,
Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Director, Tzedek DC
PS: Families with debt and credit-related concerns can continue to reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and we remain available during business hours for intake by phone as well. We are hearing every day from residents who need help. If you are in a position to help us provide our ongoing services, thank you for considering, and donations can be made here.
The DC Superior Court is the central hub of our local DC justice system and has over 80,000 new filings per year. Following advocacy by Tzedek DC and allied groups, the Court on March 15 suspended, through at least May 1, all eviction and foreclosure proceedings and all non-emergency civil matters, including debt collection cases. This Washington City Paper article quotes Tzedek DC’s view that “[w]e appreciate the important, timely steps taken by Chief Judge Morin and the court to create these policies during this time of public emergency in non-emergency civil matters… It is especially critical during this time that vulnerable D.C. families’ limited resources be available for food, shelter, and key day-to-day necessities, including being with their children during the day. It would be unfair and harmful to public safety to force families to choose between their health and having to attend a civil court hearing while they seek to avoid further financial crisis.”
Following input from Tzedek DC and several allied organizations, the Council of the District of Columbia yesterday enacted key initial emergency legislation to address the public health crisis. Among other things, the bill temporarily:
Prevents utilities from cutting off water, gas, electric, and other services, regardless of payment by the resident.
Provides key wage replacement and unemployment insurance protections.
Enhances public benefits.
Empowers the Mayor to extend professional licenses (e.g., an electrician’s or cosmetologist’s license) as well as driver’s licenses that would otherwise be expiring.
Prohibits price gouging and hoarding and provides enforcement authority to the DC Office of the Attorney General.
Empowers the Mayor to extend the period of emergency into April and beyond.
The Council’s recap and a text of the bill are available here. The Mayor has announced she will sign the bill.
We are closely reviewing additional steps the Council and Mayor may take, in conjunction with federal relief options. We will look at reforms that can address the immediate crises being experienced by residents during the public emergency period, as well as the likely challenges our client community will experience in the many months ahead.
These challenges are likely to be massive. Moody’s, for example, estimates that more than half of U.S. jobs are at risk from the pandemic.
Significant financial harms are already being felt directly by DC community members. As was reported yesterday, “[s]weeping rounds of layoffs have started to hit D.C.-area businesses in a wide range of sectors. The economic plunge has been widely felt, hitting the wedding industry, food and hospitality services, arts organizations, wellness companies, and many others.”
We are actively exploring a range of potential systemic solutions. For example, we will look at options for suspending consumer and student debt obligations, suspending adverse reporting to credit agencies, and reforming the DC Government’s so-called Clean Hands rule, under which any resident with $100 or more in outstanding fees or fines cannot renew her driver’s license (a particularly critical issue, now that public transportation has become riskier), or her professional license.
Tzedek DC remains open full-time, responding to residents’ questions while meeting direct services needs remotely and through follow-up advocacy. For public health reasons, Tzedek DC stopped conducting in-person intakes last week and our staff lawyers are teleworking. Families with debt and credit-related concerns can continue to reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by email or via our website portal, and we remain available during business hours for intake by phone as well. We are hearing every day from residents who need help.
