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	<title>Regional Housing Legal Services</title>
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	<link>http://rhls.org</link>
	<description>Partners in Community Renewal</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:06:54 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Foreclosure &amp; Health Research</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2012/02/foreclosure-health-research/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2012/02/foreclosure-health-research/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:53:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[foreclosure]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1391</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[New research is underway in Arizona to learn more about the intersection of health and foreclosure.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>New <a href="http://publichealthlawresearch.org/taxonomy/term/13/all">research</a> is underway in Arizona to learn more about the intersection of health and foreclosure.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>What if Pennsylvania Had Not Had HEMAP?</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2012/02/what-if-pennsylvania-had-not-had-hemap/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2012/02/what-if-pennsylvania-had-not-had-hemap/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:44:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foreclosure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[publications]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slideshow]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1320</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Regional Housing Legal Services, with the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, has issued a press release to highlight The Reinvestment Fund&#8216;s recent Research Brief:  What if Pennsylvania Had Not Had HEMAP?  It&#8217;s an important study that demonstrates the large, positive impact this program has had. Check out the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Regional Housing Legal Services, with the <a href="http://www.pacdc.org/">Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations</a> and the <a href="http://www.lisc.org/content/offices/detail/611/">Local Initiatives Support Corporation</a>, has issued a press release to highlight <a href="http://www.trfund.com/">The Reinvestment Fund</a>&#8216;s recent Research Brief:  What if Pennsylvania Had Not Had HEMAP?  It&#8217;s an important study that demonstrates the large, positive impact this program has had.</p>
<p>Check out the <a href="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/Press-Release-HEMAP-February-7x.pdf">Press Release</a>.</p>
<p>Read the Research Brief:  <a href="http://www.trfund.com/resource/downloads/policypubs/HEMAPsummary.pdf">What if Pennsylvania Had Not Had HEMAP?</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>FCC&#8217;s Lifeline Reform</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2012/01/fccs-lifeline-reform/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2012/01/fccs-lifeline-reform/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:09:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slideshow]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1277</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[PULP has issued a Joint Statement regarding the FCC&#8217;s potential reforms to Lifeline, a safety net program that enables low-income households to access affordable telecommunications service. PULP is working to &#8220;ensure that eligible consumers will remain able to fully benefit from the Lifeline program.&#8221; PULP issued the Joint Statement with the National Consumer Law Center, Advocates for Basic Legal [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>PULP has issued a Joint Statement regarding the FCC&#8217;s potential reforms to Lifeline, a safety net program that enables low-income households to access affordable telecommunications service. PULP is working to &#8220;ensure that eligible consumers will remain able to fully benefit from the Lifeline program.&#8221;</p>
<p>PULP issued the Joint Statement with the National Consumer Law Center, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality in Ohio; and the Low Income Utility Advocacy Project, a program of the Shriver Poverty Law Center, Voices for Illinois Children and Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Justice.</p>
<p>Additional Resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>Learn more about <strong><a href="http://www.fcc.gov/guides/lifeline-and-link-affordable-telephone-service-income-eligible-consumers">Lifeline</a></strong></li>
<li>Read the <strong><a href="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/PULP_jointstatement_Lifeline.pdf">Joint Statement</a></strong></li>
<li>Learn more about <strong><a title="PA Utility Law Project (PULP)" href="http://rhls.org/pa-utility-law-project/">PULP</a></strong></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Energy Efficiency Issue Briefs</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2012/01/energy-efficiency-issue-briefs/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2012/01/energy-efficiency-issue-briefs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:16:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1263</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[RHLS has released two issue briefs focused on increasing energy efficiency in subsidized multifamily properties and in low-income communities.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>RHLS has released two issue briefs focused on increasing <strong><a title="EE" href="http://rhls.org/energyefficiency/" target="_blank">energy efficiency</a></strong> in subsidized multifamily properties and in low-income communities.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Conservatorship Law &amp; Manual</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2011/12/conservatorship-law-manual/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2011/12/conservatorship-law-manual/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:35:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[publications]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vacant land]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1205</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The recently enacted Pennsylvania Conservatorship Law is a potentially expeditious way for nonprofits to eliminate a spot of blight in a key location without acquiring the parcel via condemnation. It is also a tool for municipalities to address a problem property, and for owners of neighboring residential and commercial properties to remediate blight at an [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The recently enacted Pennsylvania Conservatorship Law is a potentially expeditious way for nonprofits to eliminate a spot of blight in a key location without acquiring the parcel via condemnation. It is also a tool for municipalities to address a problem property, and for owners of neighboring residential and commercial properties to remediate blight at an adjacent property.</p>
<p>Regional Housing Legal Services has issued a <a href="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/ConservatorshipManual_Final_05102011.pdf"><strong>Conservatorship Implementation and Best Practices Manual</strong></a> to streamline and facilitate the use of the law. This is a useful toolkit for those seeking to eliminate blight to evaluate the property as a candidate for conservatorship, gather all pertinent facts and documents, and enable legal counsel to prepare a conservatorship petition.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>2011-2012 LIHEAP Advocates Manual is Available</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2011/12/2011-2012-liheap-advocates-manual-is-available/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2011/12/2011-2012-liheap-advocates-manual-is-available/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:29:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Utilities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slideshow]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every year in November, the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP) provides an updated LIHEAP Advocates Manual. The new manual is now available. Summary information about LIHEAP for 2011-2012 is also available. For additional information, contact PULP.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1154" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/Medford-Snow-Feb-11-2010-02.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1154" title="Medford-Snow-Feb-11-2010-02" src="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/Medford-Snow-Feb-11-2010-02-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo source: techfun under CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)</p></div>
<p>Every year in November, the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP) provides an updated <strong><a href="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/LIHEAP-Manual-2011-20121.pdf">LIHEAP Advocates Manual</a></strong>. The new manual is now available. <strong><a href="http://rhls.org/pa-utility-law-project/news-and-recent-developments/">Summary information</a></strong> about LIHEAP for 2011-2012 is also available. For additional information, <strong><a href="http://rhls.org/pa-utility-law-project/contact-pulp/">contact PULP</a></strong>.</p>
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		<title>What Pennsylvania Did Right &#8211; What it Can Do Next</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2011/12/what-pennsylvania-did-right-what-it-can-do-next/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2011/12/what-pennsylvania-did-right-what-it-can-do-next/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:43:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foreclosure]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mark Schwartz, RHLS Executive Director, and Larry Swanson, Executive Director of ACTION-Housing in Pittsburgh, argue that Pennsylvania has able to demonstrate real success in the face of the foreclosure challenges we have been facing. Despite the stories about failed federal foreclosure-prevention programs, Pennsylvania has consistently been a high performer. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In an <a href="http://articles.philly.com/2011-12-09/news/30498506_1_housing-programs-housing-crisis-state-and-federal-housing">op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer</a>, Mark Schwartz, RHLS Executive Director, and Larry Swanson, Executive Director of ACTION-Housing in Pittsburgh, argue that Pennsylvania has able to demonstrate real success in the face of the foreclosure challenges we have been facing. Despite the stories about failed federal foreclosure-prevention programs, Pennsylvania has consistently been a high performer.  In fact, Pennsylvania &#8220;accounted for about 25 percent of the emergency assistance issued under the [Emergency Homeowners' Loan Program].&#8221;</p>
<p>The success in Pennsylvania is largely attributed to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). Schwartz and Swanson argue that to improve housing program performance going forward, that the programs administered by various state agencies should be consolidated at PHFA.</p>
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		<title>RHLS 2011 Performance Review</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2011/12/rhls-2011-performance-review/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2011/12/rhls-2011-performance-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:26:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slideshow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[utilities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1115</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2011, The Resource for Great Programs, Inc., conducted a review of Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS) for the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN). The review found that RHLS excels in the following areas: strong outcomes; experienced, motivated staff; clear strategic vision; good mix of service strategies; and entrepreneurial resource development and service delivery approach. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">In 2011, The Resource for Great Programs, Inc., conducted a </span><strong style="font-size: 13px;"><a title="RHLS 2011 Performance Review" href="http://rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/RHLS_performancereview_2011.pdf">review of Regional Housing Legal Services</a></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"><a title="RHLS 2011 Performance Review" href="http://rhls.org/2011/12/rhls-2011-performance-review/"> </a>(RHLS) for the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN). The review found that </span><strong style="font-size: 13px;">RHLS excels</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"> in the following areas: strong outcomes; experienced, motivated staff; clear strategic vision; good mix of service strategies; and entrepreneurial resource development and service delivery approach. </span></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Homes Within Reach 2011</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2011/12/homes-within-reach-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2011/12/homes-within-reach-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:05:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1109</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[RHLS staff members from across the state attended the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania&#8217;s annual &#8221;Homes Within Reach&#8221; conference. The conference includes dozens of presentations and discussions on topics vital to creating and preserving safe, decent, and affordable housing in Pennsylvania. The presentations from this year included a discussion from RHLS Executive Director, Mark Schwartz, about consolidating housing-related programs [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>RHLS staff members from across the state attended the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania&#8217;s annual &#8221;Homes Within Reach&#8221; conference. The conference includes dozens of presentations and discussions on topics vital to creating and preserving safe, decent, and affordable housing in Pennsylvania. The presentations from this year included a discussion from RHLS Executive Director, Mark Schwartz, about consolidating housing-related programs at the state level.</p>
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		<title>RHLS is Hiring &#8211; Senior Attorney for Multifamily Housing</title>
		<link>http://rhls.org/2011/12/seniorattorney2011/</link>
		<comments>http://rhls.org/2011/12/seniorattorney2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:09:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>RHLS</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[employment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rhls.org/?p=1074</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Senior Attorney for Multifamily Housing RHLS is looking for an attorney to lead our efforts in the areas of the preservation and development of affordable and mixed income multi-family housing throughout Pennsylvania. This will be a newly created position and will offer the attorney hired the opportunity to guide the development of the organization’s strategic [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><strong style="font-size: 15px;">Senior Attorney for Multifamily Housing</strong></h2>
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<div>RHLS is looking for an attorney to lead our efforts in the areas of the preservation and development of affordable and mixed income multi-family housing throughout Pennsylvania. This will be a newly created position and will offer the attorney hired the opportunity to guide the development of the organization’s strategic direction in this area.</div>
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<h4> Responsibilities</h4>
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<ul>
<li>Provide transaction specific legal assistance to nonprofit clients developing and preserving affordable and mixed income multifamily housing throughout Pennsylvania.</li>
<li>Assist with the identification and development of policy initiatives which will facilitate both public and private investment in the preservation and development of affordable and mixed income multi-family housing throughout Pennsylvania.</li>
<li>Share expertise in a variety of training and conference settings and through appropriate publications.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Qualifications</h4>
<p>The ideal candidate for this position should have:</p>
<ul>
<li>A minimum of eight years experience negotiating and closing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit financed transactions</li>
<li>Expertise negotiating and drafting joint venture agreements between non-profit organizations and other entities including, but not limited to, for profit, governmental, and quasi-governmental entities.</li>
</ul>
<p>Additional consideration will be given to candidates with:</p>
<ul>
<li>Experience working with Historic and New Markets Tax Credits.</li>
<li>Experience in a legal services or public interest program working with lower income communities.</li>
</ul>
<p>Successful applicant must be admitted to the practice law in PA, preferably at the time of application, but no later than when hiring process has been completed. Salary is negotiable based upon experience and qualifications. Excellent benefits package will be provided.</p>
<p>This position is located in the Glenside (suburban Philadelphia) office of RHLS. Extensive travel within PA may be required. A valid driver’s license or access to alternative means of transportation is desirable.</p>
<p>Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Send letter of interest and resume to:</p>
<p>Mark Schwartz<br />
Regional Housing Legal Services<br />
2 South Easton Road<br />
Glenside, Pennsylvania 19038</p>
<p>RHLS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, persons who are bi-cultural, bi-lingual in Spanish, women, and persons who are disabled are encouraged to apply.</p>
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