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Prairie State Legal Services - "Making a Positive Difference" |
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| Fran's Story Senior / Housing |
| It was a different apartment than where she had raised her 10 children, but it was home. Now, widowed and coping with a heart condition, Fran faced eviction. The landlord alleged that she had someone living with her in violation of her lease. Some of Fran’s children came by during the day to help her with basic household tasks, but no one lived with her. |
| Anxious and worried, Fran contacted Prairie State. When contacted by a Prairie State attorney, the landlord agreed that Fran would not be evicted if they saw no further evidence of persons living with her. They did not at that time or at any other time provide evidence that someone was living with her. |
| Two months after this agreement, the landlord again sought to evict her. The court dismissed the complaint in court when it was shown that Fran had continued to pay rent and the landlord accepted that rent. Fran began to look for a new place to live. This was complicated when she was denied housing because her current landlord refused to cooperate with the inquiries of the potential new landlord. Ultimately with the help of Prairie State, Fran avoided harassing eviction actions and obtained new safe and affordable housing. |