Veteran Mrs. Perosi, stands in a unit where her landlord did not properly evict. One of PBN's attorneys wrote initial letters demanding that utilities be turned back on as LCBH and Jenner & Block worked on litigation. Happily, Mrs. Perosi received a settlement and was able to relocate. Most of the residents at the building were not so fortunate to have a lawyer.
Tenant Advocacy
with Lawyers Committee for Better Housing (LCBH)
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Through LCBH's Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP), PBN attorneys represent tenants when conflicts with landlords arise, with the goals of preventing escalation of disputes, avoiding litigation, and keeping tenants in their homes. Before TAP, LCBH was forced to reject many of these matters due to lack of resources. PBN’s involvement with LCBH has helped expand services to reach more tenants in need, while avoiding expensive and time-consuming litigation.
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Outcomes include:
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Helping a domestic violence survivor break her lease under the Illinois Safe Homes Act and move from the apartment she shared with her abuser;
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Securing a reasonable accommodation for a disabled tenant so she could keep her support animal; and
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Counseling a family of six on its right to legally withhold part of the rent when management refused to address maintenance problems.
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This project can be done from home. Volunteers agree to be on call for a week. LCBH assigns matters by email after identifying clients in need and the on-call attorney tries to resolve the matter within several days via phone calls or correspondence.
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