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Breach of Warranty of Habitability, PLC 23-0075604
Client is married with five children, including four who are minors. Client’s husband recently had a stroke and is currently in therapy due to brain damage and restricted mobility. One of the minor children has developmental delays and another minor child has pulmonary disease and severe asthma. Client found mold in various areas of her rental unit and requested repairs through an online portal. Client's goal is for the landlord to pay for asbestos and mold testing, and if toxins are found, to safely remove them from her home.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Breach of Warranty of Habitability and Displacement, PLC 23-0076171
Client is receiving Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and is going through the process of becoming a foster parent to her granddaughter, which requires her to provide safe living conditions. Due to a leak and damage to her bathtub, she has failed two inspections by the Housing Authority. Client was forced to vacate while Landlord was making repairs to the leak issue. Client would like assistance with being refunded for expenses and damages she incurred while she was not able to live at her apartment as a result of landlord’s neglect.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Breach of the Warranty of Habitability and Personal Injury, PLC 23-0075914
Client is a 73-year-old woman with multiple disabilities and lives with her service dog. There has been a cockroach infestation in the apartment since Client moved in. The landlord conducted fumigation, which exacerbated Client’s disabilities and did not resolve the infestation. Client was hospitalized multiple times and her service dog required veterinary treatment due to the fumigation. Client also had to move into a hotel at her own cost for several days. Client is seeking possible compensation for the landlord’s failure to provide habitable premises and reimbursement of hotel costs and other expenses.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Contract/Property Dispute, PLC 21E-1053819
Client is in her 50s. Client owned her home in joint tenancy. While client was recovering from surgery, the joint tenant transferred their own interest in the property to the adverse party. Over the time that client and adverse party owned the home, the adverse party did not contribute to the maintenance of the home and upon sale of the home, the adverse party did not pay client her appropriate interest. Client would like assistance recovering these funds.
Email Staff Attorney Morgan Padgett
Habitability, PLC 22-0071703
Clients are monolingual Spanish speakers with 3 minor children. They have lived in the unit for almost 20 years. Recently they have been served with a 60-day notice to vacate expiring the end of December stating the landlord’s daughter is planning to reside in the unit. There are multiple habitability issues with the apartment including no working heater, plumbing issues, bug infestation resulting in bites to the inhabitants, mold, holes in the wall, and holes in the carpet. The Clients have complained to the landlord numerous times over the phone, in person, and over text message. Clients are seeking possible compensation for a portion of past rent paid for the landlord’s failure to provide habitable premises.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Habitability Impact Case, PLC 22-006
A group of tenants has reached out to PLC because of serious habitability concerns in their building. The local housing authority is familiar with the issues and the building has not been able to pass a habitability inspection. The clients would like to pursue litigation to ensure the landlord is providing them safe, habitable units.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Mobile Home, PLC 23-0073041
Applicant in her 40s is a mobile home owner and lives in a resident-owned Mobile Home Park (“the Park”). Due to rain and an unstable slope adjacent to the mobile home, the mobile home has been damaged internally and externally. The Park has not installed a retaining wall to prevent any further damage to the mobile home, and the applicant currently cannot live at the mobile home due to it being yellow-tagged by the City. The Park has already begun making settlement offer to the applicant, so the applicant would like to get legal representation as soon as possible since the Park is represented. Applicant would also need the Park to install a retaining wall and to pay for the damages caused to her mobile home or completely replace her mobile home.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Mobile Home – Easement and Reasonable Accommodation, PLC 22-0064270
Client is in his 80s with multiple disabilities, including mobility issues, and lives in a resident-owned mobilehome park (MHP). Client would like to bring an action against the MHP for blocking off a walkway that he and other residents (also with disabilities) had been using for more than 40 years to access their parking spaces from their mobilehomes. Client (as well as the other disabled residents) now has to walk a much greater distance with inadequate sidewalks, poor lighting, speedbumps, and occasional flooding, in order to access his parking spaces and other common facilities in the mobilehome park. Client would like the walkways restored to their original conditions.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Mobile Home – Housing Choice Voucher/OCHA, PLC 22-0068181
Client in his 70s and a recipient of a Housing Choice Voucher. Client suffered financial damages due to Housing Authority’s mishandling of his Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract for months. For those months, he had to borrow from relatives in order to pay rent on time and to stay housed since he is retired and is on a fixed income. Client has filed a complaint for damages against the Housing Authority. He is now seeking legal representation to resolve this issue.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Mobile Home – Solar Panel Installation, PLC 22-0069223
Client in his 70s was forced by the mobilehome park owner (the Park) to remove his solar panels from his roof. Prior to installation, client was verbally told by the salesperson that they had approval from the Park to install the solar panels. Client signed a lease for the solar panels, which have since been removed since the Park served him a 14-Day Notice to have his mobilehome in “compliance”. Client has approval from HCD for the installation of the solar panels, which will expire if he does not obtain approval from the Park to reinstall the panels. Client would like to know his rights to installing the solar panels and assistance in getting the mobilehome park to approve the installation.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Mobile Home Resident Advocacy, PLC 22-00
Clients are a group of mobilehome residents who are seeking assistance negotiating with their mobilehome park regarding rent increases. They have been in communication with their city government and they believe it is in their best interest to have representation for an upcoming, but to-be-scheduled mediation. If the rent increases go forward, many of the residents of the senior mobilehome park will be displaced.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Personal Property Damage/Loss, PLC 22-0072279
Client is a monolingual Spanish speaker with two children. In April 2021, Client’s personal belongings were damaged and destroyed after her apartment roof began leaking water and ultimately collapsed. Client requested reimbursement for her belongings and the landlord has refused to provide full reimbursement. Client is seeking possible compensation for the damage and destruction of her personal property.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Predatory Lending/PACE Home Improvements, PLC 21E-1053491
Client is a monolingual Spanish speaker in her late 40s. Client obtained Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing for work that was never completed on her home. All discussions related to the home "improvements" were in Spanish, and all documents related to the home "improvements" she signed were in English. As a result of the PACE assessment, Client's property taxes have increased by over $10,000 a year, an amount she is unable to pay. Client fears losing her home. Client would like assistance rescinding the contract and removing the tax assessment from her property.
Email Supervising Attorney Suzanne Iazetta
Predatory Lending/PACE Home Improvements, PLC 20-1051904
Client is a monolingual Spanish speaker in her early 50s. Client obtained Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing for work that was never completed on her home. All discussions related to the home "improvements" were in Spanish, and all documents related to the home "improvements" she signed were in English. As a result of the PACE assessment, Client's property taxes have increased by over $4,000 a year, an amount she is unable to pay. Client fears losing her home. Client would like assistance rescinding the contract and removing the tax assessment from her property.
Email Supervising Attorney Suzanne Iazetta
Unlawful Rent Increase, PLC 22-0071792
Client is a bilingual Spanish and English speaker who is seeking assistance with an unlawful rent increase that is in violation of City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Client is contesting the increase and would need assistance pursuing an action against the landlord in court for the rent increase to be invalidated. Public Law Center has exchanged letters with the landlord's counsel and they have refused to rescind the rent increase. Client needs assistance, potentially through litigation, challenging the rent increase as unlawful.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Unlawful Rent Increase, PLC 23-0073622
Monolingual Spanish speaking client received an unlawful rent increase from her landlord that went into effect in 2022. The apartment complex where the client lives is protected by a City Ordinance. PLC is in the process of assisting other residents from the same community with creating an Association to defend their rights under local housing laws. Client has been threatened with eviction if she does not pay the increased rent amount that exceeds local protections. Client would like to obtain assistance with fighting the unlawful rent increase. This case also presents an opportunity to assist a large group of residents who all received the unlawful rent increase and are organizing together to defend their rights.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Unlawful Rent Increase, PLC 22-0071767
Client is elderly and lives on a fixed income. Client has a Housing Choice Voucher and lives in a unit subsidized by Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Due to client having a Housing Choice Voucher and living in a LIHTC property, his landlord justified increasing the rent nearly 30%, which exceeds the amount permitted under the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. Because of client’s fixed income and the nature of his housing situation, these increases have put a major financial strain on the client and have increased his risk of eviction. Client is seeking assistance addressing the illegal increases. This case offers the opportunity to explore an unresolved area in the law, potentially extending the rights of the Tenant Protection Act to a group of Californians who have been otherwise left out.
Email Supervising Attorney Richard Walker
Veteran: Hotel Rent Overcharge, PLC 23-0075154
Client is a U.S. military veteran who lives in a hotel with his family. The hotel has overcharged Client thousands of dollars in excess taxes and rent. Additionally, the hotel unlawfully deactivated Client’s room key, meaning the family cannot all leave the unit together or they will not be able to re-enter the unit. Client is seeking assistance recovering the overcharged amounts as well as statutory penalties.
Email Supervising Attorney Ryan Ueda
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