Obama Administration Ordered to Turn Over Records

Federal Court Calls Administration's Conduct "Baffling"

A federal court has ruled the Obama Administration must release hundreds of documents to the Law Center in a case that could decide the fate of a law benefiting homeless people.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty alleges the Administration is not complying with Title V of the McKinney-Vento Act, a law that gives homeless service providers access to unused federal properties for free.  Title V, which serves 2.4 million homeless people each year, is at risk because of a new Administration push to sell unused properties at a profit.

"We're seeing an unfortunate shift in the Administration's policy," said Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the Law Center.  "With some 3.5 million Americans homeless each year, Title V is more important than ever.  But the Administration is pushing Congress to pass legislation that would cripple Title V and has provided no evidence it's even complying with the current law."

In June 2011, the Administration brought a motion to vacate a long-standing injunction governing how it runs Title V on the grounds that it has an "unassailable record" of complying with the law.  But when the Law Center asked for the evidence to back that up, the Administration provided documents that were up to 100 percent redacted -- literally blank (sample here).

In his ruling, Judge Royce C. Lamberth said it was "baffling" that the Administration thought the court would accept its claim of compliance "on nothing other than [its] own say-so."

To read the full press release, click here.