Poverty Law: Public and Subsidized Housing, Due Process in Government Benefits Programs, 
Domestic Violence, and Homelessness (Formerly Poverty Law II)
University of Minnesota Law School Mondale Hall Room 3
Spring 2025 (3 hours) - Thursdays, 9:05 a.m. -12:05 p.m.
Professors Larry McDonough and Brianna Boone 
				
Week	Date	First Half	Second Half	
1	1/23	Introduction to Poverty Law
Overview of Class and Materials
Professor Larry McDonough 
Professor Brianna Boone 
	Working with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Individuals 
Professor Brianna Boone 

Required Reading:

	
2	1/30	Unemployment Insurance - The Basics
Professor Boone

Required Reading:

In Class Exercise: UI Eligibility Hypos

	Unemployment Insurance - Common Issues for Low-Income Individuals
Professor Boone

In Class Exercise: UI Low-Income Issues Hypo
	
3	2/6	Minnesota Background Studies Act - Disqualifications and Set Asides
Professor Boone
Guest Lecturer Russell Squire, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services

Required Reading:

	Criminal Record Expungements and Pardons
Professor Boone
Guest Lecturer Russell Squire, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services

Required Reading: 

In Class Exercise: Issue Spotting Options for Client with Criminal Record; Racial Justice Discussion
	
4	2/13	Due Process - Notice of Adverse Action and Benefits Pending Appeal 
Professor Boone

Required Reading:
Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U.S. 254 (1970) (16 pages)

In Class Exercise: Review and Discuss Termination/Reduction/Overpayment Notices 
	Due Process - Appeals and Fair Hearings 
Professor Boone

Required Reading:
Minnesota Statute §§ 256.045 and 256.0451 (skim)
Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319 (1976) (18 pages)
Fosselman v. Commissioner, 612 N.W.2d 456 (Minn. Ct. App. 2000) (18 pages - skim)
Sweet v. Commissioner, 702 N.W.2d 314 (Minn. Ct. App. 2005) (14 pages - skim)

In Class Exercise: Excluding Evidence
	
5	2/20	Post-Entitlement Issues - Overpayments
Professor Boone

Required Reading:

In Class Exercise: Social Security Overpayment Waiver Form 
	Intentional Program Violations (AKA Welfare Fraud)
Professor Boone

Required Reading:

In Class Exercise: Discuss ADH Waiver Form; Welfare Fraud Hypo
	
6	2/27	Civil Remedies for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Professor Boone

Required Reading:
 (review wheel and watch )

	Working with Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Professor Boone

In Class Exercise: DV Legal Issue Spotting Hypo; Safety Plan with a Client

Graded Paper Assignment #1 Handed Out
	
7	3/6	Working with Unhoused Individuals: Common Issues, Emergency Shelter, and Encampments
Professor Boone
Guest Lecturer Ben Weiss, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services

Required Reading:

 - Executive Summary (pages 7-16); Section 5: Legal Standards (read pages 82-86, skim 86-95)

Graded Paper Assignment # 1 Due at 9:05 a.m. via email to Professor Boone
	Housing Law: Introduction
Professor McDonough

	
	3/13	Spring Break		
8	3/20	Housing Law: New Laws for 2023 and 2024

	Housing Law: Introduction to Public and Subsidized Housing Programs
Professor McDonough

	

9	3/27	Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions   
Professor McDonough

	Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions   
Professor McDonough

	
10	4/3	Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions   
Professor McDonough

	Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions   
Professor McDonough

	
11	4/10	Housing Law: Criminal Activity Claims in Private and Subsidized Housing
Professor McDonough

	Housing Law: Criminal Activity Claims in Private and Subsidized Housing
Professor McDonough

	
12	4/17	Housing Law: Expungement 
Professor McDonough

	Housing Law: Security Deposits 
Professor McDonough

Graded Paper Assignment #2 Handed Out
	
13	4/24	Poverty Law Work and Life Balance

TBD

Graded Paper Assignment# 2 Due at 9:05 a.m. via email Professor McDonough
	Complete surveys and provide class feedback