[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6671342,"mediaKeyId","2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9","parentId",2167305,"title","DC Council hears OVSJG performance overview as grantees warn of funding uncertainty","audioSeconds",10158,"startMs",2000,"endMs",10160000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9&start=2&end=10160","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9/thumbnail_2000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6671342/DC-Council-hears-OVSJG-performance-overview-as-grantees-warn-of-funding-uncertainty","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671342-fc126a15afed5e6c5bb56a31265406f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134241&Signature=iDpfihATPgKmjXae5Qds-S0nySZMG1aFkjrjwWqQ3nnZWs4mqnyu5fVAGZXEKQd3He0D-9jqzlnDxXn8yKXB2Y1CgFU-ZgDwv6fduzmFZbrgxxgxHdSWRYC6AvvAHqz0MhKMxwMRBYURvxnNhfWOd8nVKcTJgV~tt7G~pVt6m3-va5OojucEOX-2UGLs6yeiAo5jk0R-eS5bdcSAhohsKSOGdZBopabPf2pksrP0cf~ngP3nV~gxZI9al3VvguyYLL2EZqaMToeRZqv7hBtkGCsmm8MZE2z2-wVOKxFdrs5Gk8NWfLFebV7~nCFTFUd2fGh5E9xIaJsFlOi76aBmuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Judiciary and Public Safety)","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety reconvened on Jan. 29, 2025, to begin performance oversight of the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG), Chairwoman Brooke Pinto said, noting the hearing would combine public witness testimony with questions for agency leadership.

“OVSJG's mission is to develop, fund, and coordinate programs that improve public safety, enhance the administration of justice, and create systems of care for crime victims, youth, and their families in the district,” Director Jennifer L. Porter told the committee when she opened her summary of FY24 activity.

The hearing covered OVSJG’s portfolio of grant-funded programs — victim services, reentry supports, juvenile-justice planning and the Address Confidentiality Program — and probed how the office is managing grants, monitoring outcomes and preparing for possible federal funding changes. Porter told the committee OVSJG administered 147 awards in FY24 and served as State Administering Agency for 11 federal programs. She also highlighted implementation of a new grants-management platform, GovGrants, which she said has improved processing and grantee collaboration.

Grantees who testified in panels across the morning and afternoon described the same operational pressures in different program areas: higher caseloads after the pandemic, increased complexity among clients, and the need for predictable local funding. Legal-service providers, housing and shelter operators, domestic-violence advocates and reentry coalitions all emphasized demand that in many cases has remained at or above pandemic-era levels.

Several witnesses addressed recent federal-level developments. Pinto noted concern about a White House order to freeze federal grant funding and said federal judges had temporarily stayed the order. Domestic-violence coalition witnesses and shelter operators testified that a national pause or reduction in federal funds would immediately endanger services.

Committee members asked OVSJG about prioritization when resources are constrained. Porter said the agency’s “community-based funding model” prioritizes continuity for existing grantees while leaving room for competitive awards for new programming and capacity building. She described peer reviewers and state-planning processes used to align RFAs with community-identified needs.

On grant administration, witnesses and several council members praised the new GovGrants system. Jessica Harris, OVSJG administrative officer, told the committee the platform provides budget and performance dashboards for grantees and allows more transparent, two-way communications between agency and providers. Several nonprofit witnesses said training and technical assistance on the new system improved invoice and reporting timeliness.

The hearing closed with repeated appeals from providers for clearer baseline funding and contingency planning in case federal sources tighten. Director Porter said the office was coordinating with the mayor’s team and other city agencies to “braid” federal and local resources and to minimize disruptions for survivors and returning citizens. The committee recessed with plans for follow‑up questions and requests for additional data from OVSJG.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Judiciary and Public Safety) - Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety, Performance Oversight Hearing, Brooke Pinto, Chairperson - Jan 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety reconvened on Jan. 29, 2025, to review the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG); agency leaders and community providers detailed rising demand, recent administrative changes and worries about federal funding uncertainty.","taxTitle","Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",15949,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6671330,"Reentry providers report sharp funding declines that outpaced rising demand; urge restoration",507,5444000,5951000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9&start=5444&end=5951","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9/thumbnail_5444000.jpg","/articles/6671330/Reentry-providers-report-sharp-funding-declines-that-outpaced-rising-demand-urge-restoration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671330-2982e8273fb09b31a3bf862aec643d11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134241&Signature=jC4So6jmM8R8kOLRyVi~RPzDru8KEATECSYWIw-eoz1b4xDY5Keyvm5pQaQDaS-0w6Yc~EdEB~GJtCZ6rOnPURWIYkY1laqCrXuBOoRHieZiuDpwMP-qsWVB4B96toBzPywRPzCujEQ~trlCurZ1Wz2V3iXXwnGUCJD32grpwL6qOxz~lzy4Q967j9pHTXTlc8ZMnedd9SeEftTrnmf-UiESrjVIfcsdz7W-BIFFSJA8t-r1CTBRzbxPzzdiU5C91KW~lQ7uv0y5ZFvHjim3ckv4GGL~OAtgIwlqv3UV-3tZ0IeMm99gDR7jVSyyafADswmypAW1zsyrQA4YQaTzRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Reentry service providers told the committee that cuts to OVSJG reentry funding have left programs stretched thin just as demand for reentry supports has grown.

Paula Thompson, founder and CEO of Voices for a Second Chance and co‑chair of the D.C. Reentry Action Network (RAN), said OVSJG funding for reentry services has fallen 26% since 2022, a decline she tied to the expiration of ARPA funds that had briefly bolstered programming. ‘‘Since 2022, OVSJG's funding for reentry services has been cut 26%, totaling over $6,300,000 in reductions,’’ Thompson said.

Thompson told the committee reentry program enrollments have risen — the testimony reported that more than 7,200 returning citizens accessed OVSJG‑supported reentry programs in 2024, up from 794 in 2020 — while per‑person funding available for reentry dropped sharply from about $14,700 per person in 2022 to under $2,600 in 2024 (testimony by RAN). RAN witnesses described declines in housing support for returning citizens in 2024 after prior increases in 2022–2023 when ARPA funds were available.

Providers listed priority needs for returning citizens: stable housing, employment services, mental‑health and substance‑use treatment, transportation and flexible direct client assistance. Thompson said programs had been able to provide hotel stays and short‑term housing stabilization but warned that sustained reductions would worsen homelessness and recidivism.

OVSJG Director Jennifer Porter acknowledged the agency’s need to balance competing priorities and described efforts to maintain long‑running grantee relationships while supporting capacity building for new or expanded services. Committee members asked for more granular data on reentry award renewals, new grantees, and per‑program outcomes to help prioritize any proposed restoration.

Reentry advocates asked the council to consider local revenue to sustain programs previously supported by ARPA and to ensure reentry services are not deprioritized when overall agency budgets are allocated.","The D.C. Reentry Action Network told the oversight hearing that reentry funding has fallen by 26% since 2022 even as client numbers increased dramatically, and that ARPA losses and shifting OVSJG allocations require immediate budget attention to prevent service gaps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6671334,"Domestic‑violence shelters and housing programs urge sustained funding, warn federal pause would force closures",387,4992000,5379000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9&start=4992&end=5379","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9/thumbnail_4992000.jpg","/articles/6671334/Domesticviolence-shelters-and-housing-programs-urge-sustained-funding-warn-federal-pause-would-force-closures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671334-b44842b9d9de3e6d5812572bd0bdb3f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134241&Signature=dAI2DB5fAZlVG6VvXaWp8HVi9tv5PPdEKeBtnNG--IugQEE~BTvbgS2juZ~VZkX5OQpjbYrMLBvDaEfHAKeRQ3R88coTB8Jmju7SfrdKk4U-c10LB2qxHtpzYX6fO6Zmr8umJFcN~awIAmpuWCQn75F6YVTcIu5Jw-620o9jrNHq1CapZXbrYSiSzjRiVd29f57s8NuiJVeta5h9VJZDDxID7UFLbqr5zZSHIf0zNQFeE7YjgvAlNtnwuaTnzywJemReBbGze0rh8oBINK2uqka8D5mnPj4vZ0ERf63d-exrc5BbPo2DKGnYpq9yCKx95yVab1UT4fjxKB8zIWqGpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Domestic‑violence service providers described how OVSJG grants fund emergency placement, transitional housing and rental assistance that survivors rely on for safety. Testimony focused on how housing stability supports survivors’ long‑term recovery.

Representatives from the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) told the committee their programs — Cornerstone, the Empowerment Project and others — prevented housing instability for 305 people in FY24 and provided more than 44,000 safe nights of shelter across programs, according to testimony. ‘‘With OVSJG funding, DASH and the full continuum of care helped Monique and her child move into a new home and increase her work hours,’’ Zaneta Green, DASH director for community housing programs, said during her testimony.

D.C. Safe, the city’s 24/7 crisis intervention and referral agency for domestic‑violence survivors, testified that OVSJG accounted for more than half of its budget in the last year. Bridget Claiborne, D.C. Safe director of strategy and advancement, said the organization received approximately $4.5 million from OVSJG in FY24 and praised recent improvements in grants management and agency‑grantee collaboration while urging long‑term funding stability.

The DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Victim Assistance Network (VAN) asked the council to provide a combined FY26 request of $82,130,000 for victim services, with $59,410,000 recurring baseline funding and $22,720,000 for new and expanded programs, testimony showed. Coalition witnesses warned that a temporary federal freeze on grants would immediately force layoffs and program closures if not addressed.

Advocates also raised confidentiality and survivor safety concerns related to federal policy changes, and urged OVSJG and the mayor to ensure grantee budgets and program designs protect survivor confidentiality. Director Porter said OVSJG is working with the mayor and with grantees to “braid” funding and develop contingency planning so services can continue if federal awards are delayed.

Committee members asked about outcomes and costs. Witnesses said survivors often require extended services — providers described program windows averaging up to 24 months for people who need longer-term supports — and gave per‑unit averages for housing moves (roughly $2,000 in monthly rent for single units, higher for families) and costs for relocation assistance. The committee requested follow‑up budget detail so it can evaluate proposed baseline funding for victim services.","Shelters and victim‑services providers told the oversight hearing that OVSJG-funded housing and transitional programs kept hundreds of survivors housed in FY24, but operators said recent federal funding uncertainty and past local cuts threaten capacity.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6671339,"Legal service providers say Access to Justice grants are critical as demand for eviction defense and civil legal aid grows",448,592000,1040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9&start=592&end=1040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167305-49ed02fd7d6d073ced3c355bde5b6ac9/thumbnail_592000.jpg","/articles/6671339/Legal-service-providers-say-Access-to-Justice-grants-are-critical-as-demand-for-eviction-defense-and-civil-legal-aid-grows","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671339-d4df3ca201b24e653c79dd7dab7f9a82/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134241&Signature=Nf4FsQFnDRua~2TCAWnCnPc01W491fvNJfZSdVOsIt6EG1YzkxkjVfSy27okUPVyqGTLgsNK9iz-ff4ttOyCi2yrwSrzhveeD7Xpys5mMxeBIf-MOA7ulti2jxVy1PbKsSssZxzYIrmX9bzxtOx8guEmbGCVqdwKhsGIYZ60BPT9VTOyOcLsZ2oGpatr5XazHKih3M6IGTxHew5YdjR6P57O0NGFJ6VyrZxm3~AuiGyxqmyb4x1Hqda24LZhemwrB7hyupVJMreHdrFGF7ZQjvIEd7iInvJa1-mf0lhba-0JNBYQOAuiX4m~PX7MtD8iEgIQDIMbz8y9Q08Oxust0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Legal aid organizations, bar associations and language‑access providers told the Jan. 29 oversight hearing that funding from the Access to Justice Initiative (administered through OVSJG and the D.C. Bar Foundation) remains central to preventing evictions, preserving housing and keeping low‑income families stable.

Nancy Drain, executive director of the D.C. Access to Justice Commission, introduced the initiative and its three components: Access to Justice Grants, the Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program and the D.C. Poverty Lawyers Loan Repayment Program. ‘‘This program furthers your holistic view of public safety. It is essential to the district,’’ Drain told the committee.

Araceli Gray, director of programs at the D.C. Bar Foundation, reported grantee results for FY24: Access to Justice grantee partners served more than 19,000 D.C. residents in the first half of FY24 (a 16.4% increase over the same period in FY23), and Civil Legal Counsel Projects closed 2,241 cases in the first half of FY24 — a 30% increase from the same period in 2023. Gray said representation in eviction and voucher‑termination cases helped 76–81% of tenants retain possession and 89–92% retain vouchers when represented.

Speakers from Legal Aid and Legal Counsel for the Elderly described how the Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network (LT LAN) and courthouse staffing keep low‑income tenants level with landlord representation and arrange social‑service supports. Legal Counsel for the Elderly said its eviction‑related work produced roughly $289,987 in ERAP benefits for 43 clients in FY24, and that their probate project generated $2.4 million in benefits tied to a $123,000 investment.

Panelists described practical barriers facing clients: rising housing debt now that emergency rent-relief programs have wound down, worsening housing conditions, digital‑access gaps for seniors and people with limited English, and increased demand in family law and probate matters. Witnesses emphasized that language access services are indispensable: Ayuda’s community legal interpreter bank (CLIP) and the Victim Service Interpreter Bank (VISIB) provided hundreds of live and telephonic interpret sessions in dozens of languages in FY24.

Several witnesses urged continued or increased local support to keep firms and nonprofit programs staffed and to expand coordinated intake and referrals. Araceli Gray described a DC Resource Bridge pilot — a coordinated intake and referral system — expected to launch in FY25 to make legal help easier to access.

The committee asked witnesses about shifting needs. Legal providers said housing — eviction defense and habitability repairs — remains the largest share of funding (roughly 52–55% of certain grant lines), followed by family law and probate. Witnesses asked the council to maintain predictable funding levels so legal aid organizations can retain staff and continue courthouse-based assistance.","Nonprofit legal services, interpreter banks and eviction-prevention networks told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety that the Access to Justice Initiative and OVSJG funding have expanded representation for low‑income residents while demand for housing, family‑law and probate services continues to rise.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DC Council hears OVSJG performance overview as grantees warn of funding uncertainty

Reentry providers report sharp funding declines that outpaced rising demand; urge restoration

Domestic‑violence shelters and housing programs urge sustained funding, warn federal pause would force closures

Legal service providers say Access to Justice grants are critical as demand for eviction defense and civil legal aid grows