Housing Advocacy
The Housing Justice Project (HJP) at our Camden campus aims to improve the safety and stability of rental housing for low- to moderate-income tenants in South Jersey through representation, advocacy, connection to resources, and community education. The HJP in Camden is composed of the Housing Advocacy Clinic (HAC) and the Eviction Prevention Project (EPP).
The Housing Advocacy Clinic is on a mission to expand the supply of safe and sustainable housing, prevent displacement, and support a cultural shift toward tenant power in South Jersey by
The Eviction Prevention Project involves law student volunteers offering pro-bono non-legal services to tenants. The goal is to enhance housing stability by participating in community outreach events and assisting tenants with applications for means-tested benefits.
If you have any questions about the clinic and the services we provide for New Jersey tenants, please contact us at 856-225-2319 or email housing.justice@law.rutgers.edu.
Our Drive for Equality: A Closer Look at Our Housing Advocacy Efforts
From inception to our services, learn how we’re helping low-income tenants in South Jersey.
Where It All Began
Committed to Serving the Community’s Needs
Insights from the Inside: Student Reflects on Clinic Experience
"Taking the Housing Advocacy Clinic was a transformative experience for me. Having first hand experience with clients and having full autonomy over cases gave me a level of perspective in learning my own strengths and weaknesses and identifying what I want to get out of my future legal career. I learned how to operate within the legal system with competence and confidence, in a safe and supported environment."
Nicholas Hansen
Class of ’24
Stepping into Action: Student and Faculty Involvement
Students work closely with faculty to research, represent, and advocate for our clients.
Student Clinic Contributions
Students are assigned cases where they assist tenants experiencing housing insecurity, risk of eviction from their homes, or uninhabitable conditions. All students can interview and counsel clients, conduct fact investigations, and perform legal research and analysis.
How Students Develop Legal Expertise
The exact nature of other work each student may perform will depend on the specific case assigned, the nature of the work available during the semester, and the student's status as a second, third or fourth-year student. The exact nature of the work varies but might include:
Representing clients in state Superior Court eviction cases, including motion practice and representation at trial.
Representing clients in administrative appeals of benefits or housing subsidy terminations or denials.
Guiding Experts in Our Clinic
Here are some of the passionate faculty members helping make a difference in housing advocacy:
Traci Overton, Supervisor
Sara Lynch, Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor
Ashley D. Maddison, Director, Housing Justice Program
Taylor De La Peña, Program Coordinator, Housing Justice Program
Making Progress in Policy
Besides helping clients one-on-one, our students and faculty are fighting for broader social change. We’ve worked hard on the implementation of landlord-tenant reform. Learn more about our work in the Landlord-Tenant Reform Report.
Get Help
New Jersey residents seeking legal help can learn more about the services provided by Housing Advocacy and your rights as a tenant with our guides and resources.