The Homelessness Service Project (“HSP”) works with a variety of local, community based organizations under the supervision of attorneys to provide general legal services for the unhoused population of the San Francisco Bay Area. The diversity of services performed by HSP reflects the diversity of challenges faced by our clients. Despite this, HSP’s responsibilities under these organizations typically involve client intake and interviewing, provision of general, non client-specific legal advice, and legal research of homelessness issues, including 14th Amendment and section 1983 issues.
Our projects include:
- The Suitcase and Women’s Clinic: We provide legal counseling and referral services to individuals who seek healthcare and housing services.
- Direct Services: Members will assist individuals experiencing homelessness with their administrative applications for various public assistance programs and may also participate in providing substantive assistance.
- Shadowing and Outreach: Members may shadow our supervising attorneys at the Homeless Action Center and perform direct outreach to gain a deeper understanding of common legal problems faced by the homeless and low- income community.
- Research: Our work also includes several research projects on issues of homelessness, such as the decriminalization of homelessness and informational primers to facilitate access to disability benefits.
Supervision: Students will provide legal services under the supervision of attorneys from the Homeless Action Center in Berkeley, California; attorneys for the Suitcase/Women’s Clinic; and Berkeley Law faculty.
Time Commitment: 15-20 hours/semester. *One research project requires a year commitment and roughly 40 hours total over both semesters. Most projects have flexible time commitments, and project expectations will be made clear before students commit to them. Hour commitments for projects can range from 5 hours to 20 hours a semester, with an option to do more.
HSP meetings will be held monthly and scheduled based on member availability. Clinics are available weekly for members to participate in.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at HSPProBono@berkeley.edu.