Company Profile

Notable Accomplishments / Recognition

RHLS’s mission is to work alongside communities in the fight to create and protect safe, affordable homes. We provide legal representation for groups serving those with low incomes, share knowledge, unite partners, and advocate for policy changes.
Our vision is simple: a future where everyone, regardless of income, race, identity, or background, has a safe, affordable home in a place they want to live. We are committed to integrating racial equity in all aspects of our work, in pursuit of achieving racial justice in housing, utilities, and community/economic development. We believe all people deserve housing that is healthy, safe, and affordable in a community of choice where they can thrive.

RHLS fulfills our mission and vision through two primary practice areas: policy advocacy and legal representation of nonprofit/community organizations for the creation and preservation of affordable housing (we call this development services). Our policy advocacy is grounded in local realities and in responding to community voices. Our expertise as lawyers is rooted in designing housing solutions and supporting the goals of our client community of non-profit and community housing developers; our clients’
experiences inform our policy agenda. Past policy successes include working to create and increase funding for the PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE), expanding the Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit, recommending changes to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for the prioritization of supportive housing, and dozens of other state and local level changes to advance housing justice. Our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan aims to elevate the role of policy within the organization. This new Policy Director position will have the opportunity to build and refine the organization’s policy platform to be responsive to the challenges ahead.

RHLS provides transactional legal counsel to nonprofit and community organizations working on a wide variety of community based real estate development activities—from new construction of affordable rental developments, preservation of publicly subsidized affordable rental communities, community land trusts, home ownership opportunities and equitable community development such as federally qualified health centers. RHLS has offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and we assist clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania. RHLS is a specialty legal services program within the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN).