Ohio Poverty Law Center

Ohio Poverty Law Center OPLC advocates for policies aimed at reducing poverty and increasing access to opportunities and justice for all Ohioans.

The Ohio Poverty Law Center (OPLC) is a nonprofit law office that pursues statewide policy and systemic advocacy to expand, protect, and enforce the legal rights of low-income Ohioans. The Ohio Poverty Law Center seeks to:

- Protect and expand crucial safety net programs for low-income Ohioans who need help to meet their basic needs.
- Expand and improve economic and employment opportunities for

low-income Ohioans to enable them to be more self-sufficient and reduce their dependence on safety net programs.
- Ensure that low-income Ohio children have access to a high quality education and the right to attend school free of discrimination and criminalization.
- Defend and expand consumer protections for low-income Ohioans to enable them to achieve greater economic stability and safety.
- Defend and expand housing protections for low-income Ohioans to enable them to achieve and maintain safe, stable, affordable housing.
- Protect, expand, and enforce Ohio's domestic relations and domestic violence laws.
- Fight the stigmatization and exploitation of, and discrimination against, low-income people and other vulnerable Ohioans.
- Improve access to judicial and administrative recourse for low-income Ohioans and also improve the operations and efficiency of these systems. OPLC has been a part of Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA) for over 40 years. OSLSA is the umbrella non-profit organization that is now comprised of three separate non-profit legal organizations: 1) OPLC; 2) Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, which provides direct legal services for low-income Ohioans in 30 southeast Ohio counties; and 3) the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, which provides direct legal services to low-income Ohioans in Columbus and surrounding counties. OPLC works directly with these and the other non-profit legal services programs in Ohio to ensure that the low-income clients we serve receive high quality civil legal assistance.

April is Second Chance Month, and OPLC has long recognized how fines and fees can trap low-income people in cycles of de...
04/29/2026

April is Second Chance Month, and OPLC has long recognized how fines and fees can trap low-income people in cycles of debt that hinder reentry. A new report from Fines and Fees Justice Center numerically proves what returning citizens have always felt.

The report, The Cost We No Longer Pay, finds that since 2018, fine and fee reforms have delivered at least $37.5 billion in financial relief to families and communities nationwide. That’s money people can use for groceries, rent, transportation, and rebuilding their lives after incarceration, instead of being pulled back into the system over court debt.

This report shows why every policy win matters. When we eliminate harmful fines and fees, we remove one of the biggest barriers to successful reentry, and create real opportunities for people, families, and communities to move forward.

This Reentry Month, OPLC recommits to challenging legislation that punishes poverty and to building policies that support stability and second chances.

📊 Explore the full report here: https://ow.ly/gCOI50YRKze

Thank you to Ohio Capital Journal and Columbus Underground for spotlighting the important proposed legislation that woul...
04/15/2026

Thank you to Ohio Capital Journal and Columbus Underground for spotlighting the important proposed legislation that would help improve reentry in Ohio!

Read the full article here: https://ow.ly/mO4L50YJT5z

OPLC began Second Chance Month with a meaningful event hosted by Ohio Justice & Policy Center. A bipartisan group of law...
04/06/2026

OPLC began Second Chance Month with a meaningful event hosted by Ohio Justice & Policy Center.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers outlined a series of key bills that would address barriers to true second chances faced by people who have served their criminal sentences.

OPLC is grateful to the representatives who discussed this critical need in Ohio: State Senator Michele Reynolds, State Rep. Latyna M. Humphrey and State Rep. Darnell T Brewer - OH22.

Thank you to Ohio Justice & Policy Center, Ohio Community Corrections Association, and the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs for your partnership in advancing second chance policies across the state.

📸 [Zack Eckles, OPLC Senior Policy Advocate is pictured second from left in the top photo and on the left in the bottom photo.]

📣 We’re Hiring!The Ohio Poverty Law Center is searching for our next Director—a strategic, mission‑driven leader ready t...
02/06/2026

📣 We’re Hiring!
The Ohio Poverty Law Center is searching for our next Director—a strategic, mission‑driven leader ready to advance justice and create meaningful change for low-income Ohioans.

If you're passionate about advocacy, policy, social justice, and leading collaborative teams, we want to hear from you.

Apply today: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/3861861

Yesterday we were grateful to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Advocates for Ohio's Future at the Ohio Statehouse. Cong...
11/18/2025

Yesterday we were grateful to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Advocates for Ohio's Future at the Ohio Statehouse.

Congratulations to Advocates for Ohio's Future, an organization that works tirelessly to strengthen our communities and better lives! 🎉

10/27/2025

📣 Watch OPLC Policy Advocate Danielle DeLeon Spires testify on House Bill 152 and advocate for necessary protections for low-income Ohioans using Earned Wage Access services.

House Bill 152 sounds helpful—but it leaves Ohioans vulnerable.EWA apps let people access wages early, but without fee c...
10/27/2025

House Bill 152 sounds helpful—but it leaves Ohioans vulnerable.

EWA apps let people access wages early, but without fee caps or lending protections, they can trap users in cycles of debt.

📢 OPLC is calling on lawmakers to:
✔ Treat EWA as credit
✔ Regulate providers as lenders
✔ Cap fees and tips

Making housing a priority at the Ohio Statehouse—OPLC in action during COHHIO Advocacy Day
10/24/2025

Making housing a priority at the Ohio Statehouse—OPLC in action during COHHIO Advocacy Day

Address

1108 City Park Avenue
Columbus, OH
43206

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+16148270549

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