§ 4–1803. Requirements for designated legal service providers.

(a) The Bar Foundation shall only award subgrants to legal services providers that:

(1) Are headquartered in the District of Columbia and maintain a practice of furnishing free legal services to individuals who cannot afford the services of a licensed legal professional;

(2) Possess expertise in housing law, landlord-tenant law, or related experience in representing eligible individuals or groups in covered proceedings;

(3) Demonstrate expertise in recognizing and responding to the multiple legal issues facing low-income residents of the District of Columbia; and

(4) Possess adequate infrastructure and expertise to provide consistent, high-quality oversight, training, evaluation, and strategic responses to emerging or changing needs in the client communities served.

(b) Nothing in this section requires designated legal services providers to serve eligible individuals or groups in covered proceedings beyond the provider's contractual agreement to the Bar Foundation under this chapter.

(c) The Bar Foundation may also award subgrants to nonprofit organizations that are not legal services providers; provided, that the nonprofit organizations apply jointly with legal services providers that meet the qualifications set forth in subsection (a) of this section.