[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6360390,"mediaKeyId","2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95","parentId",2174918,"title","Domestic‑violence housing providers warn federal freeze would close services; call for local baseline funding","audioSeconds",10139,"startMs",229000,"endMs",10368000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95&start=229&end=10368","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95/thumbnail_229000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6360390/Domesticviolence-housing-providers-warn-federal-freeze-would-close-services-call-for-local-baseline-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360390-90a9a7d29156e6a810f6fe4a831d5823/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065685&Signature=FSlPI-areSBiT5lmiCUnMtgFemnkHau2MMRoP7LYqCQxA0-C89FsC5S1CI8W0Xqgc6FJJ1RsZcb0cj73mkxL3N~P2QGWyYnaicS6mV-9~8uK3aPJz-x~gVP856EREdsb52Unz8Jih9ib9phpHUGR7L3b8JaNbBL3gRDohTfA5B8KxkebS8DBtx41PKjoKvIzrz6r9FcYYYedtR~YvfDNVmkESQPs1h4raH12cFHKpGhWq9J1OUyvKoN9yfdsx0v6xlB9y~DwZy2x-isNNu5Wg7MaMZf8kAAdENTHddBNF~7DkMwE1ugPn1qAIO~MNGbIpACLB5bGsUg25zNmQzhBOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","DC State Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","Domestic‑violence service providers told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety that gaps in stable local funding would force lifesaving shelters and survivor programs to reduce services or close if federal grants were paused.

At the Jan. 29 oversight hearing on the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG), witnesses from the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH), DC Safe, the D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCCADV) and other members of the Victim Assistance Network (VAN) described how OVSJG‑funded housing programs support survivors at immediate and longer‑term stages of recovery.

DASH described two OVSJG‑supported housing programs: Cornerstone (emergency housing) and the Empowerment Project (a scattered‑site transitional housing program). DASH said its programs prevented housing instability for 305 people in FY24, and it reported that OVSJG funds supported more than 44,000 safe‑nights and 194 adults and children across DASH housing projects. DASH described a survivor case it called “Monique” who moved from emergency shelter to a permanent unit with DASH relocation and stabilization support.

DC Safe said it operates a 24‑7 crisis intervention line and is the only around‑the‑clock domestic‑violence crisis responder in the district; the organization told the committee it served more than 12,000 survivors in 2024 and that OVSJG awarded it roughly $4.5 million — about half of DC Safe’s annual budget — in FY24. Several witnesses emphasized that housing, relocation assistance and case management are key to survivors’ safety and ability to rebuild lives.

Witnesses raised alarm about a Presidential memorandum instructing a temporary freeze on some federal grants; Chair Brooke Pinto and witnesses said a federal judge issued a temporary stay that paused enforcement but left grantees deeply unsettled. DCCADV and other providers urged the council and the mayor’s office to plan for contingencies and provide local assurances so programs could continue during federal uncertainty.

Members of the Victim Assistance Network testified that their FY26 budget request asks for $82,130,000 for victim services, including a $59,410,000 recurring baseline and $22,720,000 for new or expanded programs. Providers asked for more transparency in OVSJG’s budget allocations so grantees and the council can understand how the office plans to allocate funds year to year, particularly if federal dollars become restricted.

Witnesses described programmatic details and costs: DC Safe said the agency had 54 staff and that hotel relocation costs for a single adult average roughly $2,000 per month because of local rents; DASH and others asked the council to consider the true operating cost of shelters when setting baseline funding. Several witnesses also emphasized the confidentiality needs of domestic‑violence services and asked for continued support for trauma‑informed, culturally competent programs.

OVSJG Director Jennifer Porter described FY24 awards and reaffirmed the agency’s role in making multi‑year federal awards and administering local victim‑service grants; she also highlighted OVSJG’s efforts to improve grant management, monitoring and training for grantees.

Ending: Domestic‑violence providers asked the council for baseline, recurrent funding and contingency plans to protect services from federal funding shocks; they requested clearer OVSJG budget reporting and collaboration with city leadership to shore up housing and crisis services for survivors.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety, Performance Oversight Hearing, Brooke Pinto, Chairperson","oneSentenceSummary","Domestic‑violence service providers told the council that a recent federal order briefly threatening grant payments — later paused by a federal judge — underscored the need for stable city funding to keep shelters and survivor programs operating.","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},6360394,"Access to Justice grantees tell council legal aid demand remains high, call for sustained funding",9335,593000,9928000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95&start=593&end=9928","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95/thumbnail_593000.jpg","/articles/6360394/Access-to-Justice-grantees-tell-council-legal-aid-demand-remains-high-call-for-sustained-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360394-5081c771e2edd8d9fdca2a5fd55ff776/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065685&Signature=YPUHCEb6-~a1-x2NuZBdvGokqbWgku-6vC4mnI2mKuy4alP2C76VBSScSKO1w~eycgsZcGAbuhDMjQs4IV-yzVKoSyCppFvtwcxC8KAEcMgs66r834HyOj6Qnyk2Yysd9KT72FhBLbSg6Ji8SQutDrWbpnrQTHRs8rN8~RTKZpAyWuamdRmVWc-0gCwF6cNaib7tWWw-9k69qTqSFJyGZOZVds4Xsn4Fd3q-Wcx6dabJBIgnCnsg7OIpO0HiQLIt8HEgY6Fpjn~A-N-O2TY7-~OfK6~F~Yo-ZE0SHjoH5OPKUFkhs~g4KeBe6UtRzZO-nRoDKsi8hZorsRoW4m-fQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Access to Justice Initiative grantees told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety on Jan. 29 that civil legal services demand in Washington, D.C., has not subsided since the pandemic and that continued funding through the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG) is needed to keep low‑income residents housed and connected to benefits.

Speakers from the D.C. Access to Justice Commission, DC Bar Foundation, Legal Aid, Legal Counsel for the Elderly and others described programs funded through the initiative that aim to prevent evictions, assist tenants and homeowners, provide family‑law representation and support probate and benefits work for seniors and caregivers.

Witnesses said early FY24 data and recent program reports show increased caseloads and positive client outcomes. The DC Bar Foundation said its Civil Legal Counsel Projects partners closed 2,241 cases from January through June 2024, a 30 percent increase from the same period in 2023, and that represented tenants retained possession in roughly 76–81 percent of landlord‑tenant matters and 89–92 percent of voucher‑termination cases when represented. The foundation and other witnesses also described the planned DC Resource Bridge, a coordinated intake and referral system expected to fully launch in FY25.

Legal Aid DC and the Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network (LT LAN) described a single intake hotline and courthouse staffing that collectively routed thousands of low‑income residents for services; LT LAN organizations handled nearly 3,500 residents last year, the witnesses said. Legal Counsel for the Elderly reported that an $123,000 Access to Justice investment in a probate project yielded roughly $2.4 million in benefits for older residents, citing that as evidence of program leverage.

Speakers also emphasized language access. Ayuda's Community Legal Interpreter Bank (CLIP) and the Victim Service Interpreter Bank (VISIB) provide in‑person and telephonic interpreters and translated documents for courts, clinics and victim service providers; CLIP reported nearly 500 in‑person interpretings and more than 7,000 on‑demand telephonic interpretation events in FY24, while VISIB reported 302 in‑person events and 2,126 telephonic instances in FY24.

Committee members pressed witnesses and OVSJG staff about whether service types have shifted; legal providers agreed housing remains the largest funding focus (about 52–55 percent of funding in the ATJ and CLCPP budgets, witnesses said), while family law, probate and public‑benefit assistance also show growing demand. Providers told the committee that digital barriers and the end of emergency rental assistance programs have increased reliance on legal services.

Witnesses requested predictable baseline funding and coordination so providers can staff intake, court representation, social‑work support and outreach. They described partnerships that send tenant‑empowerment specialists into communities to canvass and get people to court, and emphasized that legal representation both preserves housing and conserves government resources by reducing emergency care and other downstream costs.

The committee heard detailed, personal examples — from foreclosure prevention to probate help and assistance recovering from identity theft — that witnesses said illustrate how the initiative stabilizes families and keeps people housed.

OVSJG Director Jennifer Porter acknowledged the role of ATJ grantees and said the office intends to maintain that portfolio as a priority; she described OVSJG’s peer‑review process, technical assistance and efforts to make grant applications more accessible through trainings and grief‑reduction of administrative hurdles.

The hearing record contains written reports and data cited by witnesses; committee members asked OVSJG and grantees to supply additional performance metrics and to continue work on the coordinated intake platform.

Ending: Witnesses urged the council to sustain and stabilize Access to Justice funding so civil legal providers can meet growing, persistent demand — particularly for eviction defense, family law and probate assistance — and to expand language‑access supports for non‑English speakers and deaf residents.","Nonprofit legal providers told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety that demand for civil legal services has remained high since the pandemic and that Access to Justice Initiative funding is essential to prevent evictions, preserve housing and help residents retain benefits.",{"_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},6360375,"Interpreter banks and language access programs credited with widening victim and civil‑law access",235,3914000,4149000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95&start=3914&end=4149","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95/thumbnail_3914000.jpg","/articles/6360375/Interpreter-banks-and-language-access-programs-credited-with-widening-victim-and-civillaw-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360375-923119c06b7ed627a926aa09d5699cfd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065685&Signature=GXRzipNyYAYX90Zhq3bnZqQDVrLrGph7cipocvXPzd9DlFHb1h~fBbJvfQlW1Uk6N61HcI-DSeTVqK2flFknO8CFrN5UxpidxVog2H95S93R5DHv0zFfRSfkPZFVjUtR1eIR9iM9RPMI5Gdi5s1pka2bl3kXKupo4KPx~HlBKzV6opLcxiKIv7PgJlp-wLmraSJ0~0Gxyv5CaDDMCqsMZ6RoqGm4yHOqRgYZ0w9PDejMI4j8XmbLJgX3DzCI11SfZHn0WgnTJ67FrrmhQO0P5VCqxriusuWsS3AYMA~68NBm6jIGV6SV1DS6YK6efDNoRkkF5-~fNbOhiP8HAABrxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from Ayuda and other language‑access programs told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety that interpreter banks funded through OVSJG and the DC Bar Foundation have become essential infrastructure for victims and for civil legal services.

Ayuda witnesses described two programs: the Community Legal Interpreter Bank (CLIP) that supports civil legal providers, and the Victim Service Interpreter Bank (VISIB) that supports victim‑service organizations. CLIP reported nearly 500 occasions of specially trained in‑person interpretation, more than 7,000 on‑demand telephonic interpretation events and about 330 translated documents in FY24. VISIB reported 302 in‑person interpretation occasions, 2,126 telephonic instances, and 107 translated documents in FY24; the top five languages requested were Spanish, American Sign Language, Amharic, Brazilian Portuguese and Arabic.

Speakers gave examples of how professional interpreters improved therapeutic and legal outcomes — for example, a provider described how using a deaf interpreter in a negotiated custody meeting clarified complex legal concepts and helped the client participate fully. Ayuda said CLIP engages more than 130 interpreters in 30+ languages and that VISIB supports nearly 100 interpreters in 30 languages.

Witnesses asked the committee to maintain funding for interpreter services and to keep investing in training because they said ad‑hoc, untrained interpretation can undermine confidentiality and the quality of legal and therapeutic work. Committee members asked OVSJG how interpreter funding is coordinated with access to justice grants; OVSJG and Ayuda said programs are funded through OVSJG and the DC Bar Foundation and coordinate with legal and victim service grantees.

Ending: The committee heard sustained evidence that funded interpreter banks extend legal and therapeutic services to limited‑English and deaf residents; witnesses requested continued investment in training, recruitment and stable funding.","Ayuda and other language‑access witnesses told the council that interpreter banks funded through OVSJG and partners provided thousands of interpretation events and hundreds of translated documents in FY24, improving outcomes in custody, therapy and court matters.",{"_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},6360380,"OVSJG says new GovGrants system, site visits and program metrics are improving oversight and payments",499,15593000,16092000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95&start=15593&end=16092","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95/thumbnail_15593000.jpg","/articles/6360380/OVSJG-says-new-GovGrants-system-site-visits-and-program-metrics-are-improving-oversight-and-payments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360380-66990c92dfc0fe001c908cb5a95adabe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065685&Signature=iEecTgBXTtZL5Bq4d1arYqsSq1Asz5mO6mk0AhCJAMLqX0FYf3TB9klBz0U5fACwWEWrrudAh-mq223m2uZ27rDLelS2zSxv8c9HNEduEAp43XOstv5TrPHoEPCy1JMb8H42olXW9XZwJhI0qU1nb3iVbK7fPvcNzx2ycz-GRA4Q2jRv2fQYP-90eb~KtjfTr5vmEwkTjj8ivi4Zvt1Pl~UwgGbpPlSONUk2k7yGRk8XJt3TTyOIf-6A5x~IgqZDSYqyIYRTHSZs~vL1Y7jzhurVKYXoMi6I6iV0hS0td~GILtQ0wdGL7Dt9~KCndj4EcUSuWT24v4AjYZBNw9z5AQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG) leadership told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety that a new grants management platform and expanded monitoring work have started to reduce administrative delays and improve grantee support.

Director Jennifer Porter said OVSJG adopted GovGrants in FY24; the system centralizes budgets, invoices and documentation, offers message‑center features for grantee‑to‑staff communication, and enables better analysis of spending and performance trends. Witnesses representing several large grantees told the committee the system and related trainings improved transparency and reduced invoice and closeout friction.

Porter said OVSJG administered 147 awards to community organizations and district agencies in FY24 and that the office is the state administering agency for multiple federal victim‑services and justice grants. She highlighted grant‑management training, pre‑bidder webinars and peer‑review panels as parts of a more robust review and technical assistance model.

The director reviewed two discrete OVSJG programs with trackable outputs. The Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) trained 718 people in FY24 and accepted 85 participants; ACP provides substitute legal addresses and mail forwarding for eligible survivors. The Private Security Camera Incentive Program, a popular rebate and voucher program to expand registered private cameras for police investigations, approved 649 rebate and voucher applications and funded 1,569 cameras in FY24; since inception OVSJG has approved 12,513 rebates/vouchers and funded 29,136 cameras. Porter said footage from program participants supported arrests in multiple homicide and assault cases.

Porter also outlined OVSJG’s juvenile justice work through the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG) and said JJAG advises the mayor on federal Title II planning and monitors compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The agency said it conducted multiple site visits to MPD precincts and youth facilities in FY24.

Committee members pressed for examples of how site visits changed grant practices; Porter said visits are used to identify operational gaps and to tailor technical assistance and trainings, and that the new data lead will help OVSJG publish more performance information.

Ending: OVSJG presented the new management system and monitoring work as steps toward greater transparency and faster payments; Porter asked the committee to continue partnership on budget and staffing priorities to maintain oversight capacity.","OVSJG Director Jennifer Porter told the committee the agency implemented a new grants management platform (GovGrants), improved site visits and training, and is tracking program metrics more closely; the Private Security Camera Incentive and Address Confidentiality Programs were highlighted as measurable successes.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6360385,"Reentry providers say cuts have deepened housing and services gaps as demand rises",60,5427000,5487000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95&start=5427&end=5487","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174918-b2267e270c12f7d5cf6bdf884f033d95/thumbnail_5427000.jpg","/articles/6360385/Reentry-providers-say-cuts-have-deepened-housing-and-services-gaps-as-demand-rises","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360385-054a30581b4b3e31f5ebabb67f966a6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065685&Signature=WFA~x1fGfoY-wHTolt8DCLZdKBj52G8Fg3moiZqaD8qWmwzXRNhGLPcLJ2Kx0eDBr1OTKUpf4vk2Sv8wZNZEWWoaY8f12WBG-SvEGBiW1eAE~5hZaday5TnI6Am-Axab0k8~2pwLIq6Mank-pMKZXFBzvYtQYWdGDDUcXY2c4o1p15jKhlJXujSaMbm0O7lXNiHxPqcGc3KJWx1gwVmrfCSpS3fJNXWDYCMgsiG3MthO0QVV6sxnqzrdhYnMM-zcv2ZvZLidKujYbPocsSh8a4Cc-7QEnkYNsWQijnBd6bnOhSa3STwklZxz4N2WoKVWo1uLM8mjYIEzAk~N6PHcvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders of the D.C. Reentry Action Network (RAN) and reentry service providers told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety that funding for returning‑citizen programs has declined while demand has grown, leaving organizations unable to meet needs for housing, employment, and mental‑health services.

At the Jan. 29 hearing, Paula Thompson, president and CEO of Voices for a Second Chance and co‑chair of RAN, told the committee that since 2022 OVSJG funding for reentry services had been cut roughly 26 percent — a reduction parties described as more than $6.3 million — and that administrative spending increased over the same period. Thompson said OVSJG served 7,200 returning citizens through supported reentry programs in 2024, up from 794 in 2020, and argued per‑capita support has fallen.

Providers cited housing instability as a principal constraint: reentry programs expanded housing assistance in 2022–2023 as ARPA funds flowed but saw housing services decline in 2024 as that one‑time funding ended. Witnesses said that without housing and wraparound supports, returning residents face steep barriers to employment and are at higher risk of recidivism.

Reentry leaders asked the committee and the mayor’s office to restore and expand local funding for reentry services and to consider braided funding strategies that preserve ongoing staffing and flexible client assistance. They told the committee that reentry organizations, many led by people of color, carry high caseloads and cannot absorb further cuts without reducing service availability.

OVSJG Director Jennifer Porter acknowledged the shrinking ARPA share and said the office tries to allocate stable local and federal grants and to support grantees with technical assistance to build capacity. The director and reentry witnesses agreed further collaboration is needed on housing, transportation and employment supports.

Ending: RAN and partner organizations urged the council to restore reentry funding and to prioritize housing, employment, and mental‑health supports for returning citizens as demand increases.","The D.C. Reentry Action Network and returning‑citizen providers told the committee that OVSJG funding for reentry services has fallen since 2022 even as demand grows; witnesses asked the council to restore cuts and prioritize housing, employment and mental‑health supports for people leaving incarceration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Domestic‑violence housing providers warn federal freeze would close services; call for local baseline funding

Access to Justice grantees tell council legal aid demand remains high, call for sustained funding

Interpreter banks and language access programs credited with widening victim and civil‑law access

OVSJG says new GovGrants system, site visits and program metrics are improving oversight and payments

Reentry providers say cuts have deepened housing and services gaps as demand rises