KEEPING A ROOF OVER
SOMEONE’S HEAD
Claudia Junghwa Kim
Community Legal Services
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
MONDAY
9:00 a.m. – Here I am,
pelting down the street, making it through the doors of Community Legal
Services just as the City Hall clock strikes nine o’clock. As expected, the
rain has not let up so I’m soaked because my umbrella is sitting at home. I
step off the elevator and enter the lobby, wringing rain from my hair, and
I’m greeted by a congregation of glum faces waiting for intake. Strollers
are covered with rain covers and some people are carrying wet newspapers
which they’ve used to shield themselves from a drizzle. A drizzle? Gosh,
how early did they have to leave home, if they left when it wasn’t raining
cats and dogs? Certainly earlier than when I opened my eyes this morning.
12 noon – So far, I’ve
seen four different people. The rain has wreaked havoc. Ceilings are
caving in and basements are flooded. Problems that people have been living
with for months have become unbearable. One client said she had told her
landlord about the problem early in the year when the snow started melting
and coming through into her kitchen. So how long have she and her children
lived like this? There are still people waiting. I rise from my desk and
go out to the lobby; “Ms. Jane Doe! Ms. Jane Doe! Pleased to meet you; my
name is Claudia and I’m an intern here at CLS’ housing unit. Please come
through to my office.”
1:30 p.m. – Whew!
Lunch! I’m starving. I pass through the lobby on my way to the kitchen to
retrieve my measly lunch. Not much left over from yesterday’s dinner. I’m
not working at a cushy firm job so no corporate lunch account for me. But I
think my own food is better than most restaurants (solely my personal
opinion, I’d say). Our wonderful receptionist stops me. “We have an
emergency. He was locked out by his landlord this morning. Sounds like
it’s an illegal lockout. I told him to come in. Can you…?” Ugh. It’s
pouring out. Why would you choose the day when we’re having the worst
weather so far this summer to lock someone out of their home? “Sure thing.
I’ll be eating lunch at my desk. Please let me know when he comes in,” I
reply.
2:30 p.m. – “I’m so
sorry Mr. Anonymous. I wish there were more we could do to help. If you
had come to us sooner, we could have tried to do something but now there’s
nothing we can do.” He leaves, taking the black garbage bag with him that
he’s used to protect himself from the rain. His umbrella, as well as the
rest of his worldly possessions, is still in his apartment because he wasn’t
given any time to collect anything. His landlord was herding him out of the
apartment, as the eviction officers carried out a legal eviction. It was
legal because the landlord had followed the proper procedure. But it was
unfair because our client was unaware of his rights and so his landlord was
able to take advantage of him. Perhaps if he had come to us earlier… I
turn to my half-eaten lunch.
4:00 p.m. – I’ve been
on the phone for the past hour. I now have thirty minutes to get a batch of
letters out in the mail after they are approved by my supervising attorney.
First, letter to landlord informing him that he will be faced with legal
action if he does not restore his tenant’s gas service. Second, letter to
landlord stating that he must make repairs at the property where our client
resides or else our client will be withholding rent or paying him less than
the full amount of rent. Third and fourth, letter to clients enclosing
letter to landlords and giving advice on what steps they should take next.
Track down supervising attorney. Letters approved. Hand over client file
for the next day’s Municipal Court case where my supervising attorney will
be representing. Print, print, print. Letters are on their way out to the
post office.
5:00 p.m. – After
sending the letters, I stop back at my supervising attorney’s office to
brief the case that will be heard in court tomorrow. Our client, Ms.
Undisclosed, has been slapped with late fees for court costs that she had
accrued when her landlord took her to court last year. By now the late fees
are greater than the court costs and together they total nearly four
figures. She’s a single mother with two children living on welfare and
part-time employment. Last year, the landlord told our client that she
didn’t need to appear in court after serving her with a complaint, then got
a default judgment awarded in his favor. No wonder she hadn’t paid the
court costs! Ms. Undisclosed was unaware that there had been a court
hearing or a judgment against her. The landlord has taken her to court
again to collect the court costs + late fees + rent that she has already
paid. The figures were painful to untangle and it took numerous phone
conversations with our client after I conducted the initial interview to
unravel what had happened. But I’m pleased to be able to present to my
supervising attorney a neat account of what had happened and all the
necessary money details. We have a pretty good case. So hopefully we’ll be
able to keep the roof over her head.
Need to check up on a few of
my other live cases to make sure our clients are doing okay. Also need to
search the Municipal Court’s docket to make sure none of the landlords
involved have done anything sneaky.
5:30 p.m. – On my way
out. I can’t wait to get to work tomorrow to hear about the outcome of my
case that will be in court in the morning.
TUESDAY
12 noon – My
supervising attorney stops by my office as she returns from court. Ms.
Undisclosed will not be evicted. She will also not have to pay the late
fees or the total court costs. I wish I could see Ms. Undisclosed’s face
when she tells her children that they will not have to move. I wish I could
see her kids’ faces. But I can imagine – and it makes all the work and
effort worth it.
