David Tisel Email & Phone Number

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Representing low-income Richmonders in civil legal matters at the George Hetrick Community Law Center in Church Hill. Focused on preventing evictions and securing stable, decent, affordable housing. Also assisting with pro bono family law matters: protective orders, divorces, and guardianships.

Researching structural racism in U.S. transportation planning, housing, and education systems with NYU Professor of Clinical Law and ACLU President Deborah Archer.

Richmond, Va

Researching case law and drafting briefs for Section 8 voucher termination, unemployment compensation, and eviction cases in Virginia courts.

New York, New York, United States

Newark, New Jersey, United States

Assisted AFSC attorneys with deportation cases and bond hearings for clients in immigrant detention facilities in New Jersey. Appeared in Immigration Court under supervision and won release on bond for a detained client; wrote a Motion to Reopen for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, an ICE Release Request, and a Prosecutorial Discretion request; submitted U Visa applications; took declarations in Spanish and English; researched country conditions.

Somerville, Ma

Managed 100 Homes Program: purchased market rate apartments and converted them to permanently affordable housing to stabilize tenants at risk of displacement. Wrote and administered innovative tenant selection plan that prioritizes local tenants facing no-fault evictions while complying with fair housing law. Managed 3 building renovations, income certification compliance, and daily maintenance. 73 apartments purchased in 15 buildings; 31 prior tenancies preserved; 36 families permanently housed from priority waitlist.

Boston, Massachusetts

Organized and presented at legislative briefing for Act to Preserve Affordable Housing through Local Option Tenant’s Right to Purchase, and organized a coalition of over 60 to testify in favor at public hearing. Drafted a Home Rule Petition for Tenant Right to Purchase, passed unanimously by Somerville City Council.

Roxbury, Ma

Lending to limited equity housing cooperatives to create affordable housing in the greater Boston area.

Washington D.C.

After completing my Americorps VISTA year at City First Homes, I joined the staff in 2014 as a program associate. My work focuses on stewardship for cooperatives: building capacity of limited equity cooperatives to support residents in their efforts to maintain their buildings as permanently affordable housing. I collaborate with other local organizations to offer member trainings, board development seminars, community-building support, and administrative assistance for cooperatives.In addition, I work with partner organizations to identify buildings going through foreclosure, condo conversions, and other sources of low-income resident displacement, in order to connect tenants' associations to funding and technical assistance to help them purchase their buildings through the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). By partnering with City First Bank and City First Enterprises, we can provide low-interest loans to tenants' associations in the TOPA cooperative conversion process.

Washington, Dc

Equal parts community organizer, database administrator, and asset manager, I developed CFHomes’ Stewardship program for limited equity housing cooperatives, organized tenants and neighbors to fight low-income resident displacement, and overhauled CFHomes’ data management system on Salesforce to better quantify and visualize the organization’s impact on preserving housing affordability.

Washington D.C.

Throughout my internship for Senator Franken in the Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Privacy and the Law, I attended committee hearings, researched and compiled reports on privacy and judicial issues, managed and replied to constituent correspondence, prepared hearing binders for the Senator, and fielded constituent and staff phone calls.

Lorain, Ohio

Coordinated events and fundraisers, managed endorsements, wrote campaign literature, worked directly with Rep. Ramos to create a winning campaign.

Oberlin, Oh

Designed newsletter with Economics faculty; researched and wrote articles.

Taught 40 high school students in a month-long intensive leadership program in Costa Rica and Panama funded by the U.S. State Department; designed curriculum about collaborative leadership, environmental sustainability, and cross-cultural communication; inspired high school students to be agents of positive change in their communities through developing Leader Learning Plans.

J.D.

Activities and Societies: NYU Review of Law and Social Change

Master’S Degree, City Planning: Housing And Community Economic Development

Bachelor Of Arts, Politics & Economics, High Honors In Politics