January 1996

Cover

 
  • State Cash Assistance Programs Under a Block Grant: Preparing for Advocacy

    This column discusses some of the questions poor people and their advocates should consider and some steps they should take as they attempt to influence how a cash assistance block grant will be implemented in their states.

    By Christopher Lamb

  • What Does It Mean When They Say They Can't Afford It?: Defining the Fiscal Defense

    The growth of the movement against "unfunded mandates" will likely heighten the debate about the significance and validity of many statutory mandates. This article reviews the current law governing when a fiscal defense against a statutory entitlement may be raised and what constitutes a valid defense.

    By Anson B. Levitan

  • Seeking to Deter Parental Behavior Through Welfare Policy: New Jersey's Child Exclusion, Housing, and Homelessness

    New Jersey was the first state to adopt and implement child exclusion, but other states have since obtained section 1115 waivers from the Department of Health and Human Services. This article describes how New Jersey's child exclusion works, including the reductions in cash assistance triggered by the birth of an excluded baby and the effect of those reductions on the family's ability to meet housing needs.

    By David G. Sciarra

  • New Child Support Data from the Census Bureau.

    This article summarizes the findings of the Census Bureau's most recent report on the different experiences of divorced, separated, and never-married mothers and fathers of different races and income levels with respect to child support enforcement and collection.

    By Paula Roberts

  • Zealous Advocacy for the Defendant in Adult Guardianship Cases

    One of the most controversial issues in the ongoing debate about guardianship reform concerns the role of the attorney for the defendant in adult guardianship cases. This article addresses the role of the defendant's attorney from an advocate's perspective and why such representation is important.

    By Vicki Gottlich

  • Buy a Home to Rent a Home Site? Illegal Mobile Home Tie-In Arrangements.

    Mobile home park owners' common practice of conditioning the lease for a lot upon the purchase of a mobile home from the park owner can actually double the purchase price of a mobile home. This article describes the antitrust law applicable to illegal mobile home tie-ins and several successful cases.

    By Stephen Norman