Fair Housing Symposium
REGISTER NOW! Friday, April 14, 1pm-4pm Virtual Webinar FREE EVENT | REGISTRATION REQUIRED To register or for more information, please email: FairHousingEvents@jaxlegalaid.org
Leaders in the Law: Melina Buncome
What inspired you to become a lawyer? In elementary school, I remember a student who was in trouble and he was not doing a good job of telling his side of the story. I decided at that point I wanted to be the voice for others. I wanted to be an advocate for others. I have not wavered.
Renters’ Rights: How to get your security deposit back
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid attorney, Annie Rodriguez, discusses what you can do to ensure you get all of your security deposit returned to you.
JALA helps clients save their family homes through probate, mortgage modification
Having clear title to one’s home is often crucial to saving it, whether the threat is from potential foreclosure or a natural disaster. That’s because without clear title, the homeowner cannot negotiate with lenders or access federal aid, including disaster relief from FEMA or housing assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Jacksonville Area Legal Aid helps families avoid a potential foreclosure and access federal aid after a loved one passes away by helping them clear title through probate. "Probate is a complex and confusing process for many families," JALA President and CEO Jim Kowalski said. "But it is a crucial step in ensuring that a deceased person's property is properly transferred to their heirs. When families don't understand the importance of probate, they can put themselves at risk of losing their homes."
Renters’ Rights: What to know if you’re facing eviction
James Tyer, an attorney with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, joins us to discuss under what conditions a landlord can terminate a lease and precautions renters can take to avoid evictions.
Renters’ Rights: What to do if you have mold where you live
Trysta Wallace said the mold and plumbing problems in the bathroom of the apartment she rented on the Southside became so disgusting she couldn’t use the toilet or take a shower. “I use the port-a-potty up the street. I pee in a cup and I take a bird bath in the kitchen,” she explained. “It’s in the middle of the night, where can I go? I can’t make it up the street, I would pee myself.” She said she stopped going into the bathroom entirely when the mold started getting really bad. When she reported the problems to the property manager, Wallace said, “They just looked at me and said, ‘I’m sorry.’”
New leader in Jacksonville Area Legal Aid veterans services unit
Attorney Jacalyn Crecelius is the new leader of the Veterans Legal Services Unit at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. The program began in 2019 in connection with the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline funded through the state Department of Veterans Affairs. "My goal is to further develop the unit into one that veterans and those advocating for them know they can trust for honest, strong and compassionate support,” Crecelius said. Before joining JALA, Crecelius practiced family law, security clearance defense and insurance and health care law with Florida Women’s Law Group and The Edmunds Law Firm.
Local woman says solar panel offer was a bust, cost her thousands of dollars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Michelle Thompson and her husband were looking for more options to save money during the pandemic. They found a flier
Pro Bono Awards – St. Johns County
Pro Bono Awards were presented January 8th to the lawyers who did the most pro bono work in 2022. St. Johns County lawyers reported over 1,975 hours of free legal work assisting the poor, disabled, and low-income people in our community (and that is just the hours that were disclosed, so the actual number is much higher).
Homeowners Struggle to Get Pandemic Aid Meant to Stop Foreclosures
Peter and Nancy Rosalez found out in November they were eligible for up to $25,000 in government money to keep from losing their house to foreclosure. But their mortgage company had gotten permission to foreclose on their Middletown, Ohio, home and was about to sell it. The money sat unused while an auction of the home went forward. “The mental anguish we’ve been through with this house and trying to save this house—it’s just been ridiculous,” Mrs. Rosalez said. The federal government allocated funds for distressed homeowners as part of its expansive efforts to help Americans cope with the pandemic’s financial strains. Unlike some other stimulus programs, such as checks mailed to individuals, this money moved slowly.