Imagine serving your country, coming home, and building a quiet life — only to find yourself shivering through a Missouri winter inside your own home. That’s what happened to Bruce, a veteran renting a small trailer outside Kansas City. When his heat broke, he assumed his landlord would fix it quickly. Instead, nothing was done.…
Ronda was excited to start fresh with her new housing voucher, quickly securing a home for herself and her multiracial children. But the property manager’s attitude shifted when they saw her family. Shortly after, Ronda received a violation notice for her emotional support animal despite providing proper documentation. The manager dismissed her rights, saying, “We…
At 88 years old, Albert never imagined being forced from his home. He lived in a camper on his daughter Sheila’s property. One day, everything changed. In a fit of anger, Sheila threw his cane at him, leaving a bruise and breaking his watch. She then filed for an order of protection against him. Confused…
Jeff was referred to Legal Aid by a community partner. His Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments had been suspended for an unknown reason. While his Legal Aid attorney was investigating his SSI benefits, she learned he also had an issue with his subsidized housing. One of Legal Aid’s housing team attorneys accepted the housing case.…
Steve, his wife, and their children lived in a rented house before the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, Steve and his wife both lost their jobs. Like so many families in this situation, they did their best to keep up. But with no income coming in, they got behind on their rent. Their landlord…
Ms. Hopkins is an 87-year-old woman with health and mobility issues. She called Legal Aid after her monthly mortgage payment increased to a level that she could not afford. Initially, Legal Aid assisted Ms. Hopkins in discovering that her homeowner’s insurance premium had gone up and helped Ms. Hopkins find a better deal. However, after…
Brandi, a 27-year-old mother of two, lived in a Section 8 property. Because Brandi’s only income was Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), her portion of the rent was zero. Brandi’s lease came up for renewal and the Housing Authority of Kansas City conducted an annual housing quality inspection. The property failed due to several…
Charles was interested in rehabbing a debilitated, vacant property in his neighborhood. He was able to locate and contact the property’s owner, and they made an agreement: in exchange for $100 cash, the owner would grant Charles permission to occupy the premises and rehab the property to avert the demolition. The owner also promised Charles…
Anne, who is elderly and in poor health, received a hand-written note from an investment company offering to buy her home. Anne had considered selling her house because of her concern that she may not be able keep up with the maintenance. She called the investment company and scheduled an appointment. The next day, two…
Rick came to Legal Aid seeking help because the home he had recently inherited from his mother was at risk of foreclosure due to unpaid taxes. Rick’s home had been in his family for years and was the home where his mother lived prior to her passing. Rick had spent much of his childhood there…
