Fair Housing

DRC Helps Client Stay in their Home

*Name changed to protect client's identity

One of DRC’s priorities is to advocate for people when their rights under the Fair Housing Act are being obstructed because of their disability.

The story of one consumer that DRC represented illustrates the importance of housing advocacy. Sarah has a mental illness which makes it difficult for her to attend to her affairs during times of stress. She has lived in the same Section 8 apartment for 15 years. She has a companion dog as an accommodation.

Last winter, Sarah was mugged and she underwent abdominal surgery because of her injuries due to the crime. One physical result of the surgery was a problem with incontinence. About that time, construction workers who were renovating her apartment supposedly complained to the manager about the smell of urine in the apartment. However, the urine smell was caused by used diapers in the trash, caused by incontinence. The manager claimed it was caused by the companion dog, so the manager posted and mailed lease violation notices. Sarah was staying at a friend’s house while recovering from surgery to correct the incontinence and did not see the notices. Sarah told the manager that she would be gone.

By the time Sarah returned to find the notices, the manager had terminated the lease, and Sarah was homeless. Sarah and her case worker met with the manager to try to resolve the problem. The manager refused and later told the case manager that “everyone knows Sarah is crazy.”

DRC provided legal representation to Sarah when the owners sued to evict her based on the alleged lease violations. DRC entered a counter claim for Fair Housing Act violations, arguing that the supposed violations were minor and the real reason for the eviction was Sarah’s mental illness. At the urging of the judge, the case was settled during the trial. Sarah remains in her apartment because of DRC’s intervention.