Resources
Other Resources
Here are other resources that may be of use to you.
- Get the Word Out: Earned Income Tax Credit, Free Tax Preparation
It is the time of year again when many low-income workers do not get the full benefit of programs designed to help put money into their household budget.
- The United Way has launched an initiative to help people fill out the necessary tax forms to get the EITC. Check for resources available from your local United Way.
- The Internal Revenue Services offers free tax preparation through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The VITA Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income (generally, $40,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. To locate the nearest VITA site, call 1-800-829-1040.
- The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program provides free tax help to people age 60 and older. Also, as part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program. Trained and certified AARP Tax-Aide volunteer counselors help people of low-to-middle income with special attention to people age 60 and older. For more information on TCE call 1-800-829-1040. To locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669.
- Online Guide to State and Local Housing Policy
HousingPolicy.org provides government and business leaders, affordable-home advocates, and other interested individuals with timely and reliable information on successful policies that states and localities have adopted to expand the availability of homes for working families. This online guide provides in-depth profiles of housing policies employed at the state and local level and guidance on how to develop a comprehensive housing strategy that puts these individual pieces together into an effective coordinated approach. Check out this easy-to-use guide. - Strategies and Tools for Meeting California's Affordable Housing Needs
Written by Julie Spezia, Executive Director of Housing California, this article originally ran in Western City Magazine (September 2007), a monthly publication of the League of California Cities. View the article now. - California Inclusionary Housing Policy Database
The California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH) hosts a free, searchable database of more than 130 California mixed-income (inclusionary) programs. The database provides summaries of characteristics for each policy. Users can search by jurisdiction name or by more than 30 other variables. Each summary includes a link to the jurisdiction's full policy. Check out the database now. - Building Public Support for Affordable Housing: A Toolbox for California Officials
Building Public Support for Affordable Housing outlines a number of planning and public participation tools local agencies can use to address concerns related to affordable housing and overcome negative stereotypes. Learn more now. - Race Equity Project
The Race Equity Project seeks to address issues of race by developing educational and support materials for race-based advocacy and connecting communities and advocates to facilitate the sharing and dissemination of race-based advocacy strategies.
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the nation’s largest resource for working families at the lower end of the income scale. If you are eligible to claim it, it can mean a return of up to $4,700 from the federal government. Even if you don’t earn enough to owe income taxes, you may get a refund if you qualify for the EITC. There is no limit to the number of times you can claim an EITC; you can claim one every year that you qualify. Families with a permanent and totally disabled child will always qualify for an EITC, if they meet other program requirements. Individuals can learn more about the EITC on the new WE Connect website.
Attention Employers! A new California state law requires that all employers notify their employees of their eligibility for the EITC. Employers can learn more on the WE Connect website has a special section for employers. You'll find an easy-to-understand downloadable PDF that you can print and distribute it to employees in their paychecks or mailboxes. Up to one billion dollars is unclaimed from the federal government here in the state of California alone - making your employees aware this important credit can help bring valuable dollars into the California economy.
Other Resources:
Although the form of racial discrimination has changed, discrimination, intentional or not, continues to unfairly burden people and communities of color.
The Race Equity Project is a special project of Legal Services of Northern California.
