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Washington D.C. News > Archived News |
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 Consumer
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Free Foreclosure Clinic - April 17, 2008
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Neighborhood Legal Services Program, in conjunction with Housing Counseling Services, Inc., is sponsoring a free clinic on foreclosure for e...
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By: - 04/14/2008 |
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Free Legal Advice for Small Businesses
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If you are an existing or an aspiring small business owner, come and meet one-on-one with attorneys at this brief advice legal clinic. You can get inf...
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By: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program - 10/09/2007 |
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Don't Miss Your Opportunity to File for the Earned Income Tax Credit
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The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax benefit for people who work. If you qualify, the EITC will reduce your taxes and could give you back up to $4,536 when you file your federal tax return. Even if you don't owe income tax, you can get a refund through the EITC. DC, Maryland, and Virginia residents can claim the EITC on both their federal and state income tax returns. Find a free tax service now!
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By: DC EITC Campaign - 03/21/2007 |
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Missouri Sues Foreclosure "Rescue" Business
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Similar scams are prevalent in D.C. . . .
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By: Consumeraffairs.com - 10/25/2006 |
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Study Documents ‘Ghetto Tax’ Being Paid by the Urban Poor
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Poor urban residents frequently pay extra costs for everyday necessities
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By: Eric Eckholm; New York Times - 07/19/2006 |
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Banks Honor Bogus Checks and Scam Victims Pay
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Scam relies on the vagaries of the banking system to take advantage of consumers
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By: Caroline E. Mayer; Washington Post Staff Writer - 06/01/2006 |
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Blacks Turn to Internet Highway, and Digital Divide Starts to Close
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African-Americans are steadily gaining access to and ease with the Internet
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By: Michel Marriott; New York Times - 03/31/2006 |
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New Economy Hurting People in the Middle the Most
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Why is there such a disconnect between economic growth and household income?
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By: Steven Pearlstein; Business Columnist, Washington Post - 03/08/2006 |
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Bankruptcy Counseling Doesn't Deter Filings
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The overwhelming majority of debtors seen by credit counselors are still filing for bankruptcy.
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By: Caroline E. Mayer; Washington Post - 01/17/2006 |
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Affordable Housing
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Comments on Housing Counseling, Training and Tenant Advocacy in the Washington, D.C. Area
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By: Washington Post Online Chat with Marian Siegel - 12/15/2005 |
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Bankruptcy Law Is Criticized for Creditors' Role in Counseling
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The credit counseling requirement of the new bankruptcy law is drawing criticism . . .
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By: Eric Dash and Jennifer Bayot; New York Times - 10/14/2005 |
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Drug Benefit to Cost 14% Less, Medicare Says
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August 10, 2005
latimes.com : National News
Print E-mail story Most e-mailed Change text size
THE NATION
Drug Benefit to Cost 14% Less, Medicare Says
Based on bids from private plans seeking to offer the coverage, the premium should average $32.20 a month, the agency reports.By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — Medicare announced Tuesday that its new outpatient prescription benefit would cost about 14% less than estimated next year, which means less of a squeeze on seniors' budgets and billions in potential savings for taxpayers.Nationally, the average monthly premium that beneficiaries will pay when the program takes effect in 2006 is expected to be $32.20, down from an estimated $37.37. Premiums will vary around the country, but officials said they were expected to be lower in California because of the high level of enrollment in Medicare managed-care plans.
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The new figures are based on bids from dozens of private health plans vying to offer coverage to more than 42 million elderly and disabled people who are eligible for Medicare's first-ever outpatient drug program. Previous estimates were based on government projections of what drug companies were likely to charge.The lower estimates were good news not only for Medicare recipients and the U.S. Treasury, but also for President Bush. He made the prescription benefit a centerpiece of his domestic agenda, but the elderly have greeted the plan with skepticism — fearing that it would be too costly to participate in. Tuesday's announcement may make it easier for administration officials to drum up enthusiasm for the plan.The figures announced Tuesday by Medicare administrator Mark B. McClellan came as something of a surprise. Until now, most analysts had predicted that the program would be much more expensive than Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress envisioned."This is very good news," McClellan said. "What we are seeing is significantly lower costs." He attributed that to "robust competition" among private insurers and managed-care health plans. The development may prompt more people to sign up for the benefit after Nov. 15, when Medicare starts accepting applications for coverage. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt has cited estimates that between 28 million and 30 million will enroll in the program in 2006.But some healthcare experts cautioned that costs and premiums may rise steeply in future years. The program is structured so that taxpayers pay 75% of the cost, and beneficiary premiums must cover the remaining 25%."Right now, premiums of $32 are a best guess, given that we don't have experience with these types of plans and no one has signed up for this benefit yet," said health economist Paul Fronstin of the Employee Benefit Research Institute. "In subsequent years, you will have real data to base prices on."McClellan refused to speculate on any long-range savings as a result of the new estimate for 2006, saying such projections would not be available until Bush submits his budget next year. Estimates released in February shocked many in Congress by putting the 10-year cost of the benefit at nearly $724 billion. A 14% savings would reduce that by about $100 billion. The prescription drug benefit is the most significant expansion of Medicare in decades and is seen as a signature domestic policy achievement for Bush. But its complex design — featuring many coverage options at different prices — has made some senior citizens leery. Its expected costs have drawn fire from fiscally conservative Republicans, while Democratic liberals denounce its reliance on private plans as an industry giveaway."There is a climate of concern that the program will grow out of control," said John Rother, policy and strategy director for AARP. "Now to have the premiums come in lower than has been estimated is a sign that it's not going to become unaffordable, at least in the first year." AARP provided crucial support for passage of the drug benefit, although it has opposed Bush's plan for private investment accounts in Social Security.The cost of the drug benefit will be much lower for low-income beneficiaries, no matter what part of the country they live in. About one-third of Medicare beneficiaries — about 14 million people — will be eligible for government subsidies of their premiums. "Most beneficiaries with limited incomes will also have no deductibles, no gaps in coverage, and only small co-payments for each prescription," Medicare officials said in a statement.The government began sending out applications for the low-income assistance in June, but service and advocacy groups said progress in signing up beneficiaries had been difficult."We are killing ourselves to enroll people who are eligible for low-income subsidies, but it's slow going," said Robert M. Hayes, president of Medicare Rights Center, a New York-based national advocacy organization.He cautioned against "singing happy songs," because details of the drug plans would not be known until open enrollment begins in November. "This is a very difficult decision for consumers," Hayes said. "How the plans get to these [premium] numbers is a complex equation based on medical packages and different forms of consumer out-of-pocket expenses."In addition to monthly premiums, beneficiaries will have to pay an annual deductible of $250. After that, Medicare will pay 75% of prescription costs up to $2,000. But because of budget constraints, beneficiaries will face a coverage gap, dubbed the doughnut hole, between $2,250 and $5,100 of annual expenses. Above that, Medicare will cover 95% of drug costs.Because private insurers have some leeway in how they structure the benefit, industry officials say most senior citizens should be able to find plans that offer no deductible in exchange for some limits on their choices of drugs.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the typical senior who signs up will save about $465 on prescriptions in the program's first year.But it's unlikely that even the most cost-conscious insurers will be able to eliminate the doughnut hole. And some studies indicate that middle- and upper-income beneficiaries with chronic health conditions will face the highest out-of-pocket costs.Leavitt, who has launched a 75-city bus tour to promote the benefit, said Tuesday that the time for debate and skepticism was past."Most of us who saw this unfold on Capitol Hill saw a robust political debate," he said. "The politics of this is over out in the heartland. It's now about finding a way to help our seniors in this country make an informed decision." It is still too early to tell how the elderly will respond to the benefit. Some may be put off by the paperwork and keep ordering low-cost Canadian drugs."Our surveys suggest that seniors haven't really focused on the drug benefit in any kind of detail," said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the Kaiser Family Foundation."When they do, the monthly premium could be an important consideration, but it's still too early."
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By: The Los Angeles Times - 08/10/2005 |
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Housing Prices High for Low Income Workers
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By JENNIFER C. KERRThe Associated PressTuesday, August 9, 2005; 1:06 AM
WASHINGTON -- Housing prices are far outstripping salary increases for low- and moderate-income jobs, putting the American dream of owning a home beyond the reach of teachers, firefighters and other community workers in many cities, said a study being released Tuesday.
The report, by a coalition advocating affordable housing, found that even cities once considered affordable, such as Tulsa, Okla., are rapidly becoming too pricey for lower-income workers such as janitors and retail sales employees.
The study found the median price of a home in the United States rose 20 percent in just 18 months, to $225,000. During the same period, wages for teachers, firefighters and nurses in most cities remained flat or increased slightly, but still fell far short of the annual salary needed to buy a home, the report from the Center for Housing Policy said.
For example, the median household income for a nurse rose 10 percent between 2003 and 2005, to about $36,000. For a firefighter, wages were flat, remaining at about $37,000 a year.
Those salaries don't come close to the $71,000 annual income needed to qualify to purchase a $225,000 home. The number is based on a down payment of 10 percent.
"It's not just the level of housing prices versus wages, but the fact that, especially in some areas, the housing prices are growing so much faster," said Barbara Lipman, the research director for the center.
"It's creating this dynamic where people who work these jobs must feel like they'll never catch up. The dream of home ownership may be unattainable," she said.
The study looked at incomes for more than 60 occupations, from janitors to accountants. It examined housing prices for nearly 200 metropolitan areas from the fourth quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of this year.
The least affordable places in the country were the usual suspects: San Francisco, Orange County, Calif., and Northeast cities such as New York and Boston.
Some of the most affordable places were in the Midwest, places like Waterloo, Iowa, Saginaw, Mich., and Lima and Youngstown, Ohio.
But Lipman said cities like Tulsa and Minneapolis, which had traditionally been thought of as more affordable, are now a concern.
"We're seeing a problem in areas where you'd expect and then beyond that because of the flatness of the wage growth and the increased pressures on home prices and rents," said Lipman. "Even though we have historically low interest rates, that doesn't solve the problem."
The study identified West Palm Beach, Fla., as one of the areas where there's a growing disparity between housing costs and sluggish wages for low- and moderate-income families.
The median home price in the Florida city has jumped nearly 32 percent since 2003, to $245,000. To qualify for a mortgage, a person would need to make about $77,600 a year, up from $57,600 in 2003. That would put a home out of reach for schoolteachers and police officers in the community, whose annual salaries are in the low to mid-40s.
The gap is even greater for nurses, who make about $36,000, and child care workers, whose salaries are in the low to mid-20s.
The Center for Housing Policy is the nonprofit research affiliate of the National Housing Conference, based in Washington.
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By: Washington Post - 08/10/2005 |
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As Debt Collectors Multiply, So Do Consumer Complaints
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An increasing number of consumers are complaining of abusive techniques from some companies that are part of a new breed of debt collectors.
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By: washingtonpost.com, Caroline E. Mayer - 07/28/2005 |
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 Employment
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New Resource on Criminal Record Sealing
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If you have been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a crime in the District of Columbia, you have a criminal record. A criminal record ...
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By: - 07/19/2007 |
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Red Tape Ties Up D.C.'s Unemployed
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Problems with the city's job training programs
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By: Neil Irwin, Washington Post Staff Writer - 02/13/2006 |
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My back! My ankle! My lost file!
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Tales of torture in D.C.’s Disability Compensation Program
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By: Washington City Paper; John Metcalfe - 08/01/2005 |
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 Family Law
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Free Child Custody & Divorce Clinic - July 7th and 14th
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Ayuda will be holding two free clinics on divorce and child custody on July 7 and 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at their offices at 1707 Kalorama Roa...
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By: Mike Grunenwald - 06/20/2008 |
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Are You a TANF Recipient? Are You Entitled to Child Support?
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Effective April 1, 2006, the District now has the second highest "pass through" in the Nation.
What the new law means is that, if child suppor...
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By: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program - 04/06/2006 |
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D.C. Schools to Test New Special Ed Rule
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The Board of Education approved a proposal to place the burden of proof on parents
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By: V. Dion Haynes; Washington Post Staff Writer - 03/14/2006 |
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Tutor Program Offered by Law Is Going Unused
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Four years after President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind law, vast numbers of students are not getting tutoring
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By: Susan Saulny; New York Times - 02/13/2006 |
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Eighty Percent of Poor Lack Civil Legal Aid
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At least 80 percent of low-income Americans who need civil legal assistance do not receive any.
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By: Evelyn Nieves; Washington Post - 10/18/2005 |
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 Housing
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URGENT: Landlord-Tenant and Small Claims Courtrooms Temporarily Moved
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Effective immediately, D.C. Courts Building B will be closed for approximately two weeks. As a result, the Landlord-Tenant and Small Cla...
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By: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program - 06/23/2008 |
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URGENT NOTICE - Don't Lose Your Spot on the Waiting List for Public Housing, Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher, and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs! MARCH 11 is the Deadline for Application Updates.
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Last month, the D.C. Housing Authority announced that it was updating its waiting list for the Public Housing, Section 8/Housing Choice Vouche...
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By: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program - 02/07/2008 |
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Free Foreclosure Prevention Clinics at Housing Counseling Services
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If you are a homeowner facing foreclosure, Housing Counseling Services may be able to help you. Click on the link above for more information.
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By: - 10/01/2007 |
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Real Estate Tax Sale Redemption Project Launches
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On July 11, 2007, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program launched a new Real Estate Tax Sale Redeption Project. The Project has 2 components: a Resource Center and an Advocacy Program.
Real Estate Tax Sale Redemption Resource Center: The Resource Center offers legal information and advice to owners of and interested parties in real estate that may be or has been sold for unpaid D.C. real property taxes. Lawyers will be available to
Answer questions about the tax sale and redemption process;
Help defendants determine payoff amounts and negotiate legal fees;
Discuss financing options; and
Assist with drafting pro se pleadings and obtaining continuances.
There are no income limits, though you must be an individual person (not a corporation or other business entity) to receive services. Tax sale purchasers are NOT eligible.
The Resource Center is located in Room 205 in the Moultrie Courthouse of Superior Court (500 Indiana Avenue, N.W) and is open during the Tax Sale Calendar Call on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Real Estate Tax Sale Redemption Advocacy Program: Individuals seeking to avoid a tax sale who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and who live or plan to live in the property will be considered for limited and full legal representation.
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By: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program - 07/12/2007 |
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City to Pay $700,000 in Settlement With Hispanic Tenants
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The District has agreed to settle a civil rights suit
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By: Sue Anne Pressley Montes; Washington Post - 12/14/2006 |
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Officials Want Franklin School To Stay a Shelter
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Homeless advocates and Franklin Shelter residents praised the decision
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By: Elissa SIlverman; Washington Post Staff Writer - 10/13/2006 |
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Renters' Rights - Live Chat at 2:00 p.m.
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Kim Kendrick, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, discusses renters' rights.
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By: Washington Post - 04/18/2006 |
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City to Review Claims Condo Fees to Aid the Poor Went Uncollected
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The condominium binge should have been a boon for the housing assistance fund
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By: Robert E. Pierre; Washington Post Staff Writer - 04/05/2006 |
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Rent Control Bill Approved
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The District's decades-old rent control system may be overhauled
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By: Elissa Silverman; Washington Post Staff Writer - 03/17/2006 |
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Sursum Residents Fear Loss of Homes
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D.C. Seeks Use of Eminent Domain
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By: Lori Montgomer; Washington Post Staff Writer - 03/16/2006 |
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D.C. Department to Investigate McLean Gardens
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DCRA is asking the owners of the apartment complexes for documents related to its purchase of the properties
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By: Mike Rupert; The Examiner - 03/09/2006 |
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Legal Services for D.C.'s Poor
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Access to Justice Commission proposes appropriation for legal services for the poor
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By: Washington Post Editorial - 02/17/2006 |
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Free Legal Advice Clinics This Saturday!
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FREE LEGAL ADVICE CLINICSponsored by the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program
BANKRUPTCY / DEBT COLLECTIONCIVIL RIGHTSCONSUMER LAWEMPLOYMENT LAWFAMILY L...
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By: Margaret Duval - 02/06/2006 |
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