July marks Disability Pride Month, a celebration of the tremendous progress toward disability justice. At LCBH, the fight to advance justice for renters with disabilities continues, with our attorneys offering guidance on fair housing complaints and navigating unjust evictions. That’s why we sat down with former LCBH Staff Attorney and current Ambassadors Board Member, Olivia Alden, to discuss her case involving “Tom,” who was being evicted by his brother.
When Tom received a 30-day termination notice from his brother whom he’d been living with for several years, homelessness felt imminent. As a person with intellectual and physical disabilities, Tom knew living alone wasn’t an option, and finding and paying for assisted living within 30 days was out of reach.
Looking for solutions, Tom turned to a trusted librarian at his Chicago Public Library branch. Luckily, the librarian had seen an outreach presentation and knew she could call LCBH for help. Olivia took Tom’s case for full representation, filing a motion to dismiss under the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance. Olivia also connected Tom with LCBH’s Supportive Services team who helped him apply for disability and other benefits. In court, the judge dismissed the case almost immediately because Tom was entitled to 120 days’ notice before his lease ended.
With his case dismissed, Tom was given ample time to secure new, safe housing, and avoid homelessness. Read on to learn more about the impact of Olivia’s work and the importance of legal aid in cases like Tom’s below:
What impact do you think your representation had on Tom?
I think the impact was immediate because he was at imminent risk of homelessness. Additionally, LCBH’s Supportive Services team connected him to resources he didn’t know how to access. For example, the reason the client was referred by a librarian was because he didn’t have a cell phone. Supportive Services helped him get one. They also helped him submit an initial application for disability benefits.
Why does this story stick out to you from your time at LCBH?
The reason this case stuck with me is twofold. First, it was a huge professional accomplishment. The day of the hearing, I didn’t think it would go forward, but I knew the argument and was prepared to present it. The judge decided in our favor almost immediately, so the experience gave me a lot of confidence in my skills, especially as a young attorney. Second, the facts of this case were so gut-wrenching. Not that anyone deserves to be kicked out by their family member, but our client couldn’t work and couldn’t live independently. It was very clear to me at the outset that this was somebody society had let fall through the cracks. He was somebody that probably had not had a lot of people fight for him before, and it was my privilege to be able to do that.
Why is fair housing important to you?
Fair housing is important to me because everything starts at home. For example, respiratory diseases are more common in children of color because they are more likely to live in poorly maintained housing. To this day, you can find deeds in Cook County that contain racially restrictive covenants. While they’re no longer enforceable, they’re there. If we care about children, if we care about racial justice, if we care about building safe communities, we must care about fair housing.