Legal Aid DC opened a new, expanded office in Anacostia on May 21, aiming to make its free legal services more visible and accessible for residents east of the river. The office will also serve as the headquarters for DC Resource Bridge, a citywide legal services referral hub.
Legal Aid DC is a nonprofit offering free legal advice and services to low income D.C. residents. The organization provides lawyers who advocate for clients in issues running the gamut from housing and public benefits to immigration and family law. Legal Aid DC Executive Director Vikram Swaruup said nearly 48% of the organization’s clients live in Wards 7 and 8, which has driven the organization’s decision to expand its services in Anacostia.
“There’s so many people in our city, even though they’re struggling with legal issues, they don’t know that free legal help is available to them,” Swaruup said.
In D.C., particularly in tenant rights and eviction cases where landlords nearly always have legal representation, free legal services like those provided by Legal Aid DC and the D.C. Children’s Law Center can be critical for low-income residents. Unlike in criminal cases, the court does not guarantee free legal representation in housing and other civil cases. Nonprofit organizations fill the gap, helping clients navigate disputes with landlords and access city agencies, public benefits, and programs such as Rapid Rehousing.
Legal Aid’s new office, located at 1911 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, replaced its previous second-floor location in the area with a larger, street-level space, which Swaruup said will make their services easier for clients to access. The new location will also increase the organization’s number of private offices in Anacostia from two to five, so staff can serve more people at once.
Swaruup said prospective clients do not need an appointment to receive staff help. While eligibility varies by the type of case, Legal Aid generally serves low-income residents, including families of four earning up to $5,400 per month.
The new office also houses DC Resource Bridge, a citywide program that helps residents find the legal support provider that best fits their situation. The program connects clients to more than two dozen organizations with different specialties and eligibility requirements, helping residents navigate the city’s legal network. Without their services, residents may need to contact multiple organizations before finding one that can help them.
Since its launch in September 2025, DC Resource Bridge, which can be called at 202-933-HELP (4357) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, has helped 2,300 clients. The Anacostia office marks the first time residents can access their services in person. Previously, the program was only available online and by phone.
Amy Mix, director of DC Resource Bridge, said the storefront office allows their staff to build stronger connections with community members. She also said the office is helping spread general awareness of free legal services to people who may not have known this type of help is available.
“The navigators have really found it meaningful to be able to connect with people in person, and it makes the process just a lot smoother to be able to talk face-to-face to somebody,” Mix said.
With Legal Aid DC and DC Resource Bridge under one roof, residents can access a broader network of legal services. If Legal Aid DC is unable to handle a particular case, staff can immediately connect clients with a DC Resource Bridge navigator who can refer them to another legal service provider.
For Swaruup, the expanded office and partnership with DC Resource Bridge are about reducing barriers to legal services and making sure residents can find help when they need it.
“We just want folks to walk in and talk to somebody and see if there’s something that we might be able to help with,” Swaruup said.
This article originally appeared in Street Sense’s June 17, 2026 edition.
