November 12, 2024 by Sydney Perez
Lone Star Legal Aid’s Chad Elrod Safeguards Tenant’s Public Housing Eligibility After Landlord’s Error
After a hurricane struck her home, Sierra received an eviction notice just a week later—a devastating shock. She couldn’t understand why, as she had paid her rent in full. Confused and anxious, she reached out to Lone Star Legal Aid for help.
Sierra had qualified for public housing, which provided her with an affordable rent. Securing public housing requires a lengthy process. Applicants must apply and then wait up to six years before being accepted. To maintain eligibility, tenants must stay in good standing with their landlord. In other words, an eviction can disqualify someone from public housing.
Chad Elrod, a Staff Attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid’s Eviction Right to Counsel (ER2C), took on Sierra’s case and acted quickly. The ER2C team researched the relevant property codes and thoroughly reviewed Sierra’s situation. Sierra explained to the team that she had paid her rent on time, and her landlord had accepted it. Despite this, her landlord had started the eviction process. With this evidence, Mr. Elrod was able to get the case dismissed.
Mr. Elrod advises clients: “Document all efforts to pay rent, as a receipt or cashed payment might be the only thing that stops an eviction. Also, because property codes require strict compliance regarding how a notice to vacate is delivered, I recommend photographing the delivery method. Often, notices are not delivered in compliance, and a photo is the best way to prove that.”
Thanks to Mr. Elrod’s work, Sierra was able to continue living peacefully in her home without fear of eviction, and she retained her public housing benefits.
Names have been changed to protect the identity of the client(s).
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
Sydney Perez
