Organization of American States Human Rights Commission Hears NLCHP Testimony on Human Right to Housing

National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty to testify on US violation of human right to housing

Press Type: Press Release   Associated Program: Human Rights

Released: 03/2005

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, one of two bodies in the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights, will hold a hearing to evaluate compliance with the basic human right to housing by the largest nations of the Western hemisphere.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, residents of public housing and other advocates requested the hearing before the international body. Maria Foscarinis, Executive Director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty will present testimony on behalf of the millions of US citizens without adequate shelter.

The 4:15 pm thematic hearing is part of the regular session of the permanent body. It is entitled Situation of the right to adequate housing in the Americas.

Foscarinis of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty will testify. Widespread homelessness and the extreme shortage of affordable housing in the U.S. constitute human rights crises right here at home. By focusing its attention on these crucial issues, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights helps hold the US accountable to its obligation to ensure and respect the human rights and dignity of its own most vulnerable citizens, said Foscarinis.

Organizers will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. in front of the OASs IACHR headquarters. Carol Steele, a public housing resident from Chicago and the President of the Chicago Coalition to Protect Public Housing; Cheri Honkala the National Spokesperson for the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign; Tara Melish, Counsel for the PPEHRC at the hearing; Debra Frazier, a Washington DC public advocate from Friends and Residents of Arthur Capper and Carrollsburg; Maria Foscarinis from the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty will make statements on the US violation to the Human Right to Housing and the first international hearing on this Inter-American right.

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