Sammy’s Story

CLA’s Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime (CLAVC) Initiative helps victims of crime with civil legal problems related to the  crime and its aftermath.

In many cases, CLA’s clients have overlapping legal problems. “Sammy,” a client helped by CLA’s CLAVC Initiative, is an individual with mental and physical disabilities who was provided with holistic legal services spanning both housing and family law.

Sammy was being exploited and manipulated by a younger woman, “B.B.” who had persuaded Sammy to let her manage his financial affairs. B.B. was also living with Sammy, in violation of Sammy’s lease, and creating disturbances at the property. When Sammy’s landlord brought legal action to remove B.B. from Sammy’s apartment, Sammy was referred to CLA. However, B.B. intervened and prevented Sammy from privately meeting with CLA’s staff. Sammy did not pursue his request for CLA’s services.

Several months later, Sammy called CLA, saying, “you told me if I changed my mind, you would help me. I need help now.” Sammy’s abuser controlled his finances and was not paying rent and other bills. His landlord had brought an eviction case against him and Sammy had defaulted on his trial date. He also wanted to get a restraining order against B.B.

CLA’s CLAVC attorneys first helped Sammy obtain the restraining order, then turned to stabilizing his housing. To prevent Sammy from being evicted, his CLAVC Staff Attorney, Franci Gazzaniga, successfully argued a motion to remove the default in his housing case. Since Sammy received subsidized housing, Attorney Gazzaniga was able to raise the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a federal law that protects victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence and includes strong protections for tenants of federally-subsidized housing. In this case, invoking VAWA prevented Sammy from being evicted due to the actions of his abuser.

After removing the default, CLA helped Sammy apply for RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition), a program that provides short-term financial assistance to low-income families who are at risk of becoming homeless. With CLA’s advocacy, RAFT paid Sammy’s landlord the past due . Finally, after a series of negotiations, the landlord dismissed the eviction case. Sammy plans to transfer to a more appropriate apartment to accommodate his disability.

In addition to representing Sammy in his court case, Attorney Gazzaniga referred him to domestic violence agencies for assistance, to help both therapeutically and financially.

This case is one example of CLA’s holistic, creative advocacy for a vulnerable, low-income client.