“Joel,” a 32-year-old veteran, came to JALA after moving into a new apartment complex. Before moving in, Joel had informed the property manager that he had a service animal and had even provided pictures and immunization records. But once Joel moved into his apartment, the property manager said he would need to obtain a signed letter from a doctor and fill out lengthy, unlawful forms.
A Look At First Coast Renters' Rights During COVID-19 WJCT by Cyd Hoskinson, April 22, 2020 The economic shutdown enacted to slow
Have you been affected by the opioid crisis? Héctor Elizondo says that if you've been negatively impacted by the opiod crisis, you
“Jerome” came to JALA after his property manager notified him that he was in violation of his lease because he had an unauthorized pet. He’d been given seven days to remove the animal, which was actually his emotional support dog, “Dalia.” Jerome had already provided the property manager with a letter from his treating health-care professional verifying that Dalia was an emotional support animal, but he was still forced to move her to a family member’s home.
JALA is ready to assist our community in the coming weeks and months as we respond to and recover from the current
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 27, 2020 – Three civil legal aid organizations this week reached a settlement agreement with the Florida Department of
Housing subsidies are a critical lifeline for many low-income families, and they vary depending on the tenant’s income. “Brianna” and her three children lived in an apartment complex where their share of the rent was $224 a month, with the Jacksonville Housing Authority paying the $376 remainder. But in 2019, Brianna lost her Social Security income, leaving her with just $272 a month in child support.
At 90, “Edgar” can’t get around as well as he used to. With no car, he relies on taxis to go places, and sometimes when he can’t get a taxi, he walks to Walmart to pick up his medications or groceries. With no job, friends or family to support him, money is tight – so tight that Edgar was about to lose his home to foreclosure. Saving Edgar’s home was truly a collaborative effort, beginning with private attorneys Clyde Taylor and Brad Waldrop, who referred the case to JALA and have assisted Edgar with legal issues on a pro bono basis in the past. JALA in turn reached out to the St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) for help with a loan modification as JALA attorneys prepared to go to court to stop the foreclosure.
Because of unpaid debt, “June,” 66, was having her income garnished by about $460 a month, which was roughly half her earnings. She believed she had paid her debt in full and that the debtor should have filed paperwork showing her debt had been satisfied. When she reached out to the debtor's attorney on her own, she was ignored. Then she came to JALA. Upon looking further into the case, her JALA attorney realized she may have had a few months left to pay due to the interest that was included in the judgment. Her JALA attorney reached out to the debtor's attorney, who agreed to waive the remainder of what was owed and file a satisfaction. JALA’s intervention saved June from several more months of garnishment she could scarcely afford.
“Timir and Amal Asan” and their four young children are refugees who were legally admitted to the United States in 2016. They had applied for housing from the Jacksonville Housing Authority in 2016 and finally got their Section 8 subsidized housing voucher in the fall of 2019. Under this program, the voucher entitles them to subsidized rent. Once they got the voucher, the family had 60 days to find a rental property within a defined low-income rent range, get the landlord to agree to rent to them under the Section 8 program, and have the unit pass an inspection by the Housing Authority.
