Client Stories Archives - Page 11 of 16 - Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc.

JALA helps family get a hardship extension on their search for subsidized housing

JALA helps family get a hardship extension on their search for subsidized housing

“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.

Dennis Harrison2020-02-25T16:47:26-05:00February 6th, 2020|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

Housing unit saves family of five from eviction

Housing unit saves family of five from eviction

“Sabrina” lives with her four children in public housing operated by the Jacksonville Housing Authority. There, the share of the rent she pays can increase or decrease based on household income, with her housing subsidy covering the remainder. Recently, Sabrina received a notice that her lease was being terminated because she’d failed to report some child support income in a timely fashion. She was going to be evicted for this alleged violation of her lease agreement. The notice further alleged that she owed $584 in back rent based upon the unreported child support income.

Dennis Harrison2020-02-20T13:12:36-05:00February 5th, 2020|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

Client’s move to assisted living eased with JALA’s help

Client’s move to assisted living eased with JALA’s help

“Eamon,” 72, had been living in a rented home and needed to move to an assisted living facility, as his disability had left him unable to care for himself. He was trying to terminate his lease early, but despite his medical situation his landlord told him he’d have to pay $3,000 to do so. Eamon contacted JALA’s Fair Housing Unit for help.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T11:20:38-05:00January 9th, 2020|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

Tenant who uses a wheelchair will get a first-floor unit thanks to JALA’s help

Tenant who uses a wheelchair will get a first-floor unit thanks to JALA’s help

Janie, 68, lives in a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit property along with her service dog. She has lived in the same unit for seven years, during which she has developed increasing disabilities. She now uses a wheelchair, and it became difficult for her to live on a higher floor and take care of herself and her dog, as she is no longer able to use the stairs. She therefore asked the property manager to be moved to a first-floor unit.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T12:44:18-05:00January 6th, 2020|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA helps widower avoid eviction and renegotiate his student loan payments

JALA helps widower avoid eviction and renegotiate his student loan payments

“Nate,” 57, came to JALA seeking help with a student loan garnishment. A former felon, he had long ago served his time and had been striving to be a productive member of society ever since. He’d gotten married, had a baby boy and gone to school to become a welder. However, his criminal record was hindering his efforts to find a job.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T11:31:17-05:00December 11th, 2019|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA saves man’s home from foreclosure

JALA saves man’s home from foreclosure

“Alan” came to JALA after being unable to make his FHA loan payment for about six months. He’d taken out the loan the previous year and then fallen behind during a contentious and costly custody battle, which had taken a toll on his mental health. Alan had sought help from the St. Johns Housing Partnership, who was told by the loan servicer that because he had not made the FHA-required number of consecutive monthly payments, he was ineligible for a loan modification. They advised him to contact JALA for help with the foreclosure case filed against him.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T11:34:29-05:00December 11th, 2019|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA helps woman recover from job loss resulting from a flat tire

JALA helps woman recover from job loss resulting from a flat tire

Having relocated from New Jersey to Jacksonville in 2018, “Eileen” took a job as a customer service representative in a call center located on the city’s southside. The call center was soon acquired by a new company, which placed Eileen and the other transferred employees into a mandatory six-week training program that had a "zero tolerance" policy for absenteeism. During the second week of training Eileen experienced a flat tire on her way to work. She immediately notified her employer via their automated call-in line that she couldn’t make it to work and then went in search of a replacement tire.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T11:34:00-05:00December 6th, 2019|Client Stories, Family Law|

JALA’s Fair Housing Unit stops property manager’s discrimination against tenant

JALA’s Fair Housing Unit stops property manager’s discrimination against tenant

“Hassan” came to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid for help defending an eviction. His property manager had previously sued him for eviction, but Hassan had won. The property manager had then sued him in small claims court, where Hassan won again. When Hassan came to JALA he was seeking to defend a second attempted eviction by the same property manager. With the help of a JALA housing lawyer, Hassan won that eviction case too.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T12:21:14-05:00November 1st, 2019|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA ensures public housing properly accommodates people with disabilities

JALA ensures public housing properly accommodates people with disabilities

The Jacksonville Housing Authority denied “Liz,” who has disabilities, the live-in aide she had chosen to help her with daily activities. After being forced to withdraw its denial, the Housing Authority then made her wait eight months for approval to move into her apartment. As a result of the initial denial and lengthy delay, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Fair Housing Unit filed an administrative complaint on Liz’s behalf, alleging an improper denial of the request for a reasonable accommodation of a live-in aide.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T12:22:12-05:00October 31st, 2019|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA saves vulnerable homeowners from foreclosure

JALA saves vulnerable homeowners from foreclosure

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is often the only hope for people facing the loss of their homes to foreclosure. Frequently, the homeowners JALA rescues from losing their homes are elderly, sick or otherwise vulnerable consumers who have paid off their mortgage and obtained a reverse mortgage. These mortgages do not require monthly payments but carry with them traps for the unwary. Elderly homeowners often do not realize they have a problem until a foreclosure judgment is eminent or a foreclosure sale has taken place. Then a caretaking family member intercedes. The seeming hopelessness of the situation makes finding a private attorney difficult, and most clients simply can’t afford a lawyer.

Dennis Harrison2020-01-27T12:23:08-05:00October 31st, 2019|Client Stories|