Paul*, a veteran and single father with three teenage children, was deemed ineligible for a project-based voucher waitlist by a local housing authority because of “poor rental history” and “misrepresentation of criminal history.” Paul contacted Northwest Justice Project (NJP) for help in reversing the decision.
During a contentious discovery process and hearing, NJP established that the housing authority had failed to properly address certain communications to Paul and that the criminal history disclosure sections of the applications were substantially accurate. NJP also discovered that Paul had been struggling to make rental payments because his wages were being garnished by California child support enforcement, even though his children were in his care. NJP negotiated a reasonable repayment plan, reducing his monthly obligations.
The hearings officer reinstated the veteran to the top of the housing list, and Paul’s family was promptly able to move from a crowded one-bedroom apartment to a large three-bedroom apartment.
*Names have been changed.