色虎视频

John Anderson, once unhoused and struggling with substance dependence,  found community and legal support from students at 色虎视频鈥檚 Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic.

鈥淭he clinic provided excellent representation in helping me get my record expunged,鈥� said Anderson, who was refered to the clinic by Volunteers of America. 鈥淭he students took a lot of time to get to know me and my legal issues. They were sensitive and worked incredibly hard.鈥�

Today, the 60-year old veteran has secured permanent housing and steady employment, is a choir member at his church and recently got married. Anderson鈥檚 experience exemplifies a story of resilience and the value of community care, according to Ron Hochbaum, associate clinical professor of law and director of the clinic.

Located at Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, the clinic provides pro bono legal representation to people experiencing homelessness, who are often criminalized for small unavoidable acts such as sleeping outside. Under faculty supervision, students worked closely with Anderson to represent him in court.

鈥淕etting to stand up in front of a judge and have him clear my record makes me feel proud of the changes I鈥檝e made in my life. It鈥檚 hard to describe the feeling. I鈥檓 just happy. I can鈥檛 thank the clinic enough. It is an invaluable resource to the community,鈥� he said.

Anderson鈥檚 story is one of many. Over the past year, the Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic has helped 63 clients overcome legal barriers that perpetuate homelessness and poverty while training law students to be skilled and caring lawyers who understand their clients鈥� unique challenges.

The clinic secured more than $1 million in projected Social Security Disability benefits and nearly $960,000 in projected Medi-Cal insurance reimbursements for clients over the next three years. It also helped discharge nearly $13,000 in court- or agency-ordered debts, $4,800 in other consumer debts and successfully dismissed nine criminal convictions, clearing the way for clients to find housing and work.

The clinic is supported by Sacramento-native Robert A. Buccola 鈥�83, a managing and founding partner of Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora LLP, and his wife, Kawanaa Carter, a neurosurgeon. In 2024, they committed $3 million to support the Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic endowment.

According to Hochbaum, the need for legal services for people who are unhoused has increased over the past year.

鈥淐ities across the country are fining and arresting people for sleeping in public despite extreme shortages in affordable housing, rental subsidies and shelter capacity,鈥� Hochbaum said. 鈥淪tudents in the Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic are providing critical legal aid by securing their clients public benefits and healthcare, as well as removing the barriers to housing that come with involvement in the criminal legal system.鈥�

The clinic trained and supervised 11 law students during the 2024-25 academic year. Those involved said the experience changed how they think about legal work and clients.

鈥淲orking within the clinic鈥檚 trauma-informed and client-centered model has profoundly shaped my approach to legal advocacy,鈥� said third-year student Madeline McHenry 鈥�25. 鈥淚 have come to appreciate the importance of empathy and understanding in every client interaction.鈥�

Third-year student James Chuong 鈥�25 added, 鈥淲orking with clients has made me realize how difficult it is to escape poverty. The government will freely fine impoverished clients for the smallest offense, but welfare programs like Social Security disability benefits require extraordinary amounts of documentation and advocacy to secure meager amounts of financial aid.鈥�

One client, after completing rehabilitation for substance dependence, secured housing and employment but faced career limitations due to criminal convictions from her period of homelessness. The clinic successfully helped reduce and dismiss those charges, clearing her record. A veteran on fixed benefits struggled with utility costs in his new permanent housing until clinic students reviewed his credit report and successfully challenged a collections account, freeing up essential funds for his housing expenses.

The clinic also works on community and movement lawyering initiatives. In early 2024, the clinic co-authored an amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court arguing that the criminalization of homelessness is part of the country鈥檚 legacy of segregation and will not solve the housing crisis. The clinic leads efforts to expand legal education鈥檚 focus on homeless rights by organizing regular meetings of law professors studying homelessness. Locally, the clinic has grown relationships with community organizers to better meet the evolving needs of Sacramento鈥檚 unhoused residents.

McGeorge School of Law鈥檚  have been providing free services to people in the Sacramento community since 1964. Four of the clinics operate on campus and are collectively known as Community Legal Services. Under the supervision of faculty, students work with clients in the areas of , ,  and . Three off-campus clinics give students the opportunity to work in federal courts, prisons and the California State Legislature鈥攖he , the  and the .