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Volunteer Case Report

 

Legal Aid in greater Minnesota referred this case due to a conflict of interest.


An 18 year old needed help with a threatened rejection of her application for a subsidized apartment.  The client had been thrown out of the house just before the 18th birthday and was dealing with an abusive ex-boyfriend and tremendous mental distress.  


Management was suggesting the applicant pay for damages done in the mom’s apartment (same management company) and seemed to be setting up other barriers.  But still, the onsite manager seemed sympathetic.  


I wrote a gentle demand letter - not wanting to trigger involvement of another lawyer.  The letter touched on:

  • The definite end of the residency in the mother’s home (because a tenant cannot be covered by 2 subsidies at the same time);

  • Project-based Section 8 admission standards

  • The limited contractual responsibility of minors

  • The limited contractual responsibility of listed residents as opposed to the person signing a lease

  • Violence Against Women Act tenant protections

  • Collection of damages before the end of the lease (MN LL-T law)

  • Collection of debts incurred by parents from a child (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act issue)

  • More


Unfortunately, their lawyer, someone I have dealt with for 30 years, responded:  “You are flunking retirement.”  But fortunately we settled over the weekend.


Later as management was processing the application, they got confused because of legal limits on higher education students’ eligibility for Section 8 housing.  Another communication to the management’s lawyer showed that the limitations do not apply to high school students and once again the application was put back in process - this time in 45 minutes.  


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