Newsletter
June 29, 2020
In this Issue:
  • In Response to Systemic Racism: Letter from Shawn Boehringer and Kesha James
  • 2019-20 Annual Giving Campaign wraps June 30. Donate today!
  • New: Veterans Advocacy Project launches during COVID-19
  • PRIDE MONTH FEATURE: Transgender name changes: Paving the way to jobs, school and housing
  • Board of Directors: Welcoming new member Melanie Wender, & THANKS to Judith Algeo, LASP Board President, 2018-20
  • Chester Co. Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project: Apply by July 15 for Aug. 3 filing deadline
  • New: PHFA CARES applications available June 29 for renters and homeowners
  • Delaware Co. Bar Assoc. Community Outreach Committee presents : Real Estate & Landlord-Tenant law during pandemic (June 30) + more virtual events to July 28
  • In the news
  • Staff profiles
  • Job announcements: LASP CARES Attorney Fellows (7 openings in 4 counties)
A way forward: Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In Response to Systemic Racism

Letter from Shawn Boehringer, Executive Director, and Kesha James, Deputy Director for Advocacy
June 25, 2020
It is a challenge to find adequate words to discuss recent events in the United States, to thoughtfully analyze our own shortcomings, biases, and failures, and most importantly, to chart a path for future action which will make meaningful change and render our region, our country, and the world, a better place.

In this historic moment of global unrest in response to the merciless killing of George Floyd and so many other black people in this country at the hands of those claiming to act under authority of the law, LASP acknowledges the damage and pain that racially motivated brutality and structural racial inequities have caused and the resulting detrimental impact on the communities we serve. In addition to unwarranted physical violence, people of color endure undeniable injustices resulting in their disproportionate representation of people living in poverty. The recent events have appropriately put a spotlight on the disparities of justice, resources, and basic human decency faced every day by so many, including a large population of our client community.
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania is guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , which provides an historic framework for a path forward. In its preamble, the UDHR recognizes “the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.” It was drafted at a time when “disregard and contempt for human rights resulted in barbarous acts, which outraged the conscience,” and it called for “the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want” as our “highest aspiration.”

Article 25 of the UDHR reflects the work of LASP for its clients. It provides that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being” of their families, including “food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability…or other lack of livelihood in circumstances” which they cannot control. LASP’s work in ensuring its clients’ housing rights are protected, that they have means to provide basic human needs for their families, that they have access to health care, protection from violence, and family stability, all may properly be classified as protecting, defending, and advocating for, fundamental human rights.

These rights are inextricably connected to other rights enumerated in the UDHR which all people must enjoy. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security. No one should be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, and all people are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law, the right to freedom of thought, opinion, and expression, and the freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Racism is at the root of many violations of economic, civil and political rights, and there must be urgency in ending it. When human rights are violated, LASP joins in condemning the violators and stands with the victims and their defenders.

Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN)'s Call to Action on Systemic Racism
is posted on the LASP website and PLAN website .
To support free civil legal aid for your neighbors, please visit http://bit.ly/LegalAidHelps !
Community Engagement Unit
LASP launches new Veterans Advocacy Project
during COVID-19
Nicole McCoy (at left), of LASP's Community Engagement Unit,
meets with Ryan McGoldrick, Regional Director for
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF).
SSVF is part of the Veteran's Multi-Service Center. They met in New Jersey June 23.
During COVID-19, LASP has enhanced advocacy efforts with the new Veterans Advocacy Project (VAP). "The biggest impact will be our increased reach to homeless veterans," said Nicole McCoy of the Community Engagement Unit. She and other LASP advocates earned certifications in the SSI / SSDI Outreach Access and Recovery (SOAR) Program.

SOAR-certified LASP advocates can help clients gain quicker access to benefits they've earned, in some cases cutting wait times from two years to 90 days. "The SOAR program changes clients' lives for the long-term and has a success rate of 90% ," Nicole said.

In development for more than a year, the Veterans Advocacy Project launched in May with McCoy along with Richard A.J. Prebil of the Chester city office, Delaware County.

In this project, LASP is partnering with organizations including the Veterans Multi-Service Center , Vet Centers , and the Montgomery County Office of Veterans Affairs .

Prebil noted, “Through a client-centered, culturally-competent, dignity-focused, trauma-informed legal practice, we are able to provide specialized and meaningful legal assistance to the men and women of our region who have so freely given of their lives in service to our country.” 

In addition to helping veterans with services regularly addressed by LASP, including housing, domestic violence, record-clearing, public benefits, consumer issues and other civil legal needs, advocates in the Veterans Advocacy Project can help with veterans’ benefits, from initial application through each stage of appeal, and discharge upgrades.

VAP advocates also provide education and clinic-type outreach programs to the veterans community in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties.

Prebil summed it up: “We are here to preserve housing and income, promote economic stability, and help veterans overcome challenges associated with their transition to civilian life—some of whom are still transitioning years after discharge.”

June is Pride Month
Name changes for LASP's transgender clients
For transgender clients, discrimination impedes their access to jobs, school and housing. LASP's Community Engagement Unit help clients overcome barriers with a name change to affirm their gender identity.

The stakes are high: Transgender lives are disproportionately lost to murder . When subjected to severe, pervasive discrimination, transgender people suffer from increased mental health issues and thoughts of suicide. Trans Lifeline, a peer-support crisis hotline, reports that during COVID-19, its hotline is seeing an 89% increase in calls about suicide ideation.

When someone cannot show their ID or give their legal name without outing themselves, they are placed at risk of discrimination and violent reactions. And the path to economic viability is also threatened.

"Name changes pave the way to employment," said Erica Briant , Supervising Attorney for the Community Engagement Unit. In addition, name changes can help people access education and housing opportunities that might otherwise be closed to them due to discrimination.

Since 2014, LASP has provided legal representation for 67 people seeking name changes related to gender identity.

The National Center for Transgender Equality reports : 
"Trans people need accurate and consistent IDs to open bank accounts, start new jobs, enroll in school, and travel. However, the name and gender change process is complicated and sometimes prohibitively expensive. ... only one-fifth (21%) of transgender people who have transitioned according to the  National Transgender Discrimination Survey  have been able to update all of their IDs and records with their new gender and one-third (33%) had updated none of their IDs or records. The survey results also confirmed what most trans people already knew—that gender incongruent identification exposes people to a range of negative outcomes, from denial of employment, housing, and public benefits to harassment and physical violence."

Pennsylvania survey results show widespread discrimination based on
gender identity/expression, including:
  • workplace discrimination
  • harassment and discrimination at school
  • economic insecurity including higher rates of poverty and unemployment than the general population
  • housing discrimination and instability
  • discrimination in accommodation and services by businesses and government officials
  • health care discrimination

To apply for a name change, clients provide LASP with some basic information about themselves, and answer questions to confirm that their desire for a legal name change isn't an attempt to avoid a debt, escape a criminal record or serve any other fraudulent purpose. In nearly all circumstances, people with criminal records and financial obligations can still change their names as long as they update the state police and their creditors of the name change.

Along with increased access to jobs, housing and education, name changes address legitimate safety concerns of showing an ID that doesn't match their identity. On a personal level, it's huge sense of relief for clients when their name change is approved by the court. "The anxiety is really intense," Briant said. "It's momentous. People are very appreciative."
(Note: LASP also helps victims of domestic violence with name changes.)
LASP Board of Directors
Welcome to new Board member Melanie Wender; Thank you to Judith Algeo, 2018-20 Board President
At a virtual meeting June 17, LASP's Board of Directors elected Melanie Wender to the board, representing Bucks County.

Outgoing Board President Judith Algeo received thanks for her service from 2018-20. Incoming officers for 2020-22 include William Baldwin as Board President; Catherine Voit , Vice President; William Roark , Treasurer; and Stephen Scott , Secretary.
Melanie J. Wender
An attorney at Curtin & Heefner, Melanie J. Wender focuses her practice in all aspects of family law in Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. She is experienced in issues surrounding the complexities of a divorce, such as equitable distribution, custody, spousal support, child support, and settlement agreements. Ms. Wender has successfully resolved complex custody cases ranging from unmarried same-sex couples to custody agreements between long-distance parents. She is also experienced in adoption issues.

"I am incredibly honored to join the board of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania and be a part of the great work that organization does," Melanie said.

In addition to LASP, she volunteers with the Montgomery Child Advocacy Program, representing abused and neglected children. She also has volunteered for Bucks County Protection from Abuse actions; Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia; and as pro bono attorney with VIP Philadelphia.

Wender holds a B.A. in English language and literature from Kenyon College and J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, where she received the Joseph R. Wenk Award honoring her work with Villanova's Civil Justice Clinic. She also served as Environmental Hearing Board Editor for the Villanova Environmental Law Journal and Managing Editor of the Journal of Catholic Social Thought.

Melanie writes periodically for The Legal Intelligencer and other industry publications.
Chester County
2020 Mobile Home Tax Assessment Project
resumes in Chester County
Apply by July 15!
The United Way of Chester County and LASP are offering assistance to mobile home owners in Chester County to file for property tax reassessment appeals.

Mobile home owners can fill out and return the two-page flyer , including contact information, by July 15, 2020 to schedule a 30-minute appointment. Or visit United Way of Chester County's project page: www.unitedformobilehomes.com.
 
For the appointment with a LASP advocate, you will need:
  • The year, make, model and size of your mobile home.
  • A property tax bill (preferably the school tax bill).
  • Title or sales agreement to your mobile home.
  • Information about how much you paid for the home, including a bill of sale if you purchased within the past five years.

For more information , please contact Darshana Shyamsunder at 610-429-9400 or mobilehome@uwchestercounty.org . For Spanish , please call 610-344-5370 x110.
2020 Chester County Mobile Home Tax Assessment Project
CARES funding for housing
CARES financial assistance for renters and homeowners:

  • Applications are available starting June 29.
  • Completed applications can be submitted for review starting July 6.

HARRISBURG – Renters and homeowners who were financially impacted by COVID-19 can access applications for rent and mortgage relief starting June 29. The applications will be available by clicking on a red CARES banner on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) website at https://www.phfa.org/pacares/.

PHFA is partnering with organizations in all 67 counties to help process the large number of rent relief applications anticipated. Partner agencies in LASP's service area include:

Renters and landlords
Cares Rent Relief Program (RRP) at https://www.phfa.org/pacares/rent.aspx. Renters will submit their applications and supporting paperwork to the partner organization in their county for review.

Homeowners
CARES Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program (PMAP) at https://www.phfa.org/pacares/mortgage.aspx

Homeowners seeking help with payment of past-due mortgage will apply directly to PHFA:
  • online, or
  • print and mail to the agency.

The Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed in March, provided $3.9 billion for Pennsylvania and is intended to help people hurt economically during the pandemic. In late May, the General Assembly directed $175 million of these CARES dollars to PHFA to provide assistance for struggling renters and homeowners. The portion for rent assistance is at least $150 million, and $25 million was set aside for mortgage assistance.

The PHFA call center will be open weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to answer questions about the programs, at 1-855-U-Are-Home (827-3466). Listen for the prompt mentioning CARES assistance for renters and homeowners.

The county organizations to which CARES applications are submitted will also have webpages offering useful information. CARES funding for renters and homeowners must be completely distributed by Nov. 30, 2020, although it is expected the assistance will be exhausted before the deadline.

The PHFA works to provide affordable homeownership and rental housing options for older adults, low- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs.

Housing flyers
(clickable 2-page flyers, in English and Spanish )
In the news

New Republic article by Kathryn Joyce (June 22, 2020): https://bit.ly/3fLpf4s

  • "In the vast majority of debt cases, people must represent themselves in court or administrative procedures they’re woefully unprepared to navigate...This is the status quo of a sprawling but mostly invisible crisis that extends far beyond debt. Indeed, no fewer than 71 percent of low-income Americans experience at least one civil legal problem per year, yet 86 percent of them receive either minimal or no legal help to deal with it. That’s because Americans with civil legal needs, unlike those in criminal courts, have no universal right to an attorney."
  • "The pandemic and the economic catastrophe it unleashed will exacerbate almost every difficulty facing both legal aid as an institution and the clients it represents."
Virtual events
June 30 panel on real estate & landlord-tenant law during COVID-19 to include LASP Staff Attorney Thomas Kerstan
Have a legal question about your mortgage or lease related to COVID-19? Ask a panel of attorneys and real estate professionals at a free virtual event, “ Real Estate and Landlord Tenant Law during the COVID Pandemic .” Hosted by the Delaware County Bar Association (DCBA)'s Community Outreach Committee, the panel will be Tuesday, June 30 from 3:30-5 p.m.

RSVP through DCBA's website at bit.ly/37S2U2u or email tracy@delcobar.com. Participation is limited to 95 people.

Topics:
  • update on eviction moratorium
  • tenant/mortgage relief assistance
  • lessons learned from 2008 recession
  • can I go into / stay in my house or apartment if someone has tested positive for COVID-19?

Panelists: Christina Cardone, Keller Williams Real Estate; Thomas Kerstan, Esq., LASP Staff Attorney; Louis M. Kodumal, Esq.; Lee A. Stivale, Esq.; and Ryan McMahon, Zommick McMahon Real Estate.

Moderator: Michael A. Burns, Esq., Magisterial District Judge
Unemployment Compensation Basics July 14
Clean Slate / Expungement Workshop July 28
JUST ANNOUNCED! Check lasp.org/events soon for registration links!

LASP Attorney Deborah Steeves will present two virtual workshops in July, in partnership with the United Way of Chester County and PA CareerLink of Chester County.

Unemployment Compensation Basics
Tuesday, July 14 from 2-3 p.m.

Clean Slate & Expungement Workshop
Tuesday, July 28 from 2-3 p.m.
Clean Slate / Expungement Workshop July 15
LASP Attorney Deborah Steeves will present a Clean Slate and Expungement Workshop on Wednesday, July 15 from 4-5 p.m., in partnership with the Coatesville Center for Community Health. Register by emailing ccch@comcast.net. After you register, you will receive the meeting link through email.

The workshop will help individuals with criminal records who may have been denied employment or other services because of their record. Participants will learn about the Clean Slate and expungement process, eligibility, and learn how to proceed.

To obtain a copy of your criminal record, visit http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/MDJ.aspx.

Employee Rights Workshop July 20
Are you looking for a job or returning to work during COVID-19? Know your rights!

A free virtual workshop about employee rights will be held Monday, July 20 from 2-3 p.m., in partnership with Royersford Free Public Library. As COVID-19 restrictions lift, LASP Staff Attorney Deborah Steeves will discuss your rights if you’re looking for a job or returning to work. She also will answer your questions.

For more information, please contact Kelly Quigg at kquigg@mclinc.org.

Register now through Zoom:  https://bit.ly/2Bxv5aO
After registration, you will receive a Zoom link and password through email.

Trial Run 5K has been moved to autumn!
Save the date:
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020

Due to COVID-19, the Trial Run 5K has been MOVED to Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020! Save the date, and please stay tuned for updates! For more information, contact Brian Doyle at 610-436-4510 x211 or bdoyle@lasp.org.
Staff profiles
Stevon J. Barnett , Paralegal & Chester County Office Manager
WEST CHESTER - Stevon J. Barnett , Paralegal/Office Manager of the Chester County Office since January, holds an Associate's degree in legal support services from Purdue University Global and expects to graduate with his bachelor's degree in paralegal studies next year. In addition to his paralegal experience handling client intake and litigation discovery at private law firms, Stevon has several years of experience in administrative and managerial roles. He's a native of York County.

"There is no greater feeling than to help a client with their legal problem and to be able to do so when they have no one else to turn to," he notes.
 
Stevon can be reached at 610-436-4510 x206 or sbarnett@lasp.org .
Deborah J. Blair , Director of Information Technology
NORRISTOWN - Deborah J. Blair began in January as LASP’s new Director of Information Technology. Deborah brings 25 years of experience in the IT field, in the financial services and insurance industries. She served more than two decades with Vanguard, where she began as an Information Systems Engineer in 1998. Most recently she headed the team ensuring accurate share pricing of a multimillion-dollar portfolio.

Earlier in her career, she was CoreStates Assistant Vice President / Statistical Portfolio Analyst, U.S. Healthcare Data Research Analyst, and Prudential Insurance Data Analyst. She holds an MBA from St. Joseph’s University, a B.A. in economics/business administration and Spanish from Ursinus College, and ITIL certification. She is based in the Norristown Office and can be reached at 610-275-5400 x150 or dblair@lasp.org.
Savita Egerev , Staff Attorney
CHESTER City - Savita Egerev joined LASP as a Staff Attorney in the Chester City Office in January. Her caseload includes public benefits, custody, unemployment compensation, social security, and landlord-tenant matters. Most recently, Savita was a Staff Attorney at Legal Services of New Jersey, where she represented detained noncitizens before immigration courts in custody hearings and removal proceedings.

Before that, Savita worked at a private firm in Camden, where she handled immigration, custody, and criminal matters, and clerked for Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Steven R. Geroff for several years before his retirement. Before joining the legal profession, Savita had a career as a Marketing Manager and Senior Marketing Manager at Taylor & Francis Publishers in New York City.

Savita is fluent in Spanish and Russian and has working knowledge of French. She earned her J.D. from Drexel University, M.B.A. from Rider University, and her B.A. in English from Lomonosov Moscow State University. In her spare time, Savita enjoys spending time with her family. Savita can be reached 610-874-8421 x323 or segerev@lasp.org.
Elizabeth Griffith , Grants Compliance Specialist
NORRISTOWN - Elizabeth Griffith  joined LASP as Grants Compliance Specialist in August 2019. She tracks and monitors LASP’s compliance with federal, state and local grants and contracts. Elizabeth works with Erik Hansen, Deputy Director for Operations, and with LASP advocates to ensure optimal recording of case data in LegalServer. She assists with grant applications, grant reporting, and more.

Formerly a licensed attorney in Washington State, Elizabeth holds a J.D. from Albany Law School and a B.A. in International Studies from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. As volunteer attorney with a Community Legal Clinic for the King County Bar Association in Seattle, she worked with immigrant clients on civil legal issues such as family law, elder law, workers compensation, and disability matters. Then, Elizabeth briefly practiced immigration law before moving back East and deciding on a career in compliance.

As a legal intern and volunteer for several nonprofit organizations, Elizabeth began to understand the complexities of funding these organizations and enjoyed the minutia of determining client eligibility and case compliance. Prior to joining LASP, she volunteered with the Montgomery County Women's Center to support victims seeking Protection from Abuse Orders (PFAs). She can be reached at 610-275-5400 x148 or  egriffith@lasp.org .
Craig H. Kline , Regional Disability Advocacy Program (DAP) Staff Attorney
NORRISTOWN - Craig H. Kline joined LASP in March as Regional Disability Advocacy Program (DAP) Staff Attorney. Based in the Community Engagement Office in Norristown, Craig works with clients throughout LASP's service area of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. He has been a practicing Social Security Disability attorney for over 20 years. For the past 12 years, he ran a solo law practice specializing in Social Security. Before that, Craig supervised a team of Social Security disability case handlers at Genex Services, based in Wayne. He also spent a few years right after law school handling Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases.

Craig can be reached at 610-275-5400 x128 or   ckline@lasp.org .
Job announcements

LASP CARES Attorney Fellows

LASP will implement a LASP CARES Attorney Fellows program through CARES Act Funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. LASP CARES Attorney Fellows will serve temporary positions through Nov. 30, 2020 to address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fellows will receive salary and benefits commensurate with experience and LASP’s personnel policy. 7 Fellows will be funded with 1 each in Bucks and Chester County, 2 in Montgomery County, and 3 in Delaware County who also may work with LASP’s Regional Housing Unit. Fellows will address problems resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Please visit our website to read the full job description .
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