The Disparate Impact Theory, a rule that protects potential renters against unintentional discrimination often inflicted on them by landlords, is at risk of being replaced with a Proposed Rule made by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that would leave communities of color and other groups without protection from unfair and discriminatory policies. The Proposed Rule would have a negative effect on the individuals CLC fights so hard to protect- namely our youth experiencing homelessness. CLC depends on the rule as it is written in order to assist youth experiencing homelessness, and their families in finding adequate, permanent housing, which has a plethora of benefits, including a positive impact on the youth’s mental and physical health. CLC strongly opposes the removal of the current Rule.

Each year, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati donates tickets to Children’s Law Center for a special dress rehearsal performance of their holiday show. CLC sells seating and sponsorships to this fun-filled event and many purchasers choose to donate their tickets back as free tickets for CLC clients. This year’s performance is The Frog Princess!

A Factsheet by the Children’s Law Center, the Juvenile Justice Coalition, and the ACLU of Ohio shows that since 2016, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office has sent nearly twice as many children and cases to adult court compared to the previous five years. In 2016, 49 kids and 76 cases were sent to adult court; in 2017, 91 kids and 130 cases were sent to adult court. In 2018, rates increased again, to 100 kids and 156 cases. In the first half of 2019, 45 kids were sent to adult court, closely tracking 2018 rates. The numbers in 2017 and 2018 exceed those from 2009 and 2010, when alarmingly high rates in child “bindovers” prompted widespread reforms to Ohio’s juvenile justice system. The reforms led to historic statewide reductions in child bindovers: from 317 in 2009 to 152 in 2015. But the rates from the past three years show that Cuyahoga County has returned to and surpassed pre-reform numbers.