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Protect the rights, dignity, and health of people living with HIV/AIDS

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“I Kept My Home!" -Phil, ALRP Client

I’m 75 years old, a long-term HIV survivor with a very low income, and have been living in my rent-controlled apartment for 47 years (yes, almost half a century!).

Over the decades, I’ve developed close ties with my neighbors. I always pay my rent on time, and no one in the building has ever had a complaint about me or my roommate. Out of the blue, however, my landlord began eviction proceedings against me based on something my roommate allegedly did somewhere else!

Why? I imagine it’s because the landlord could get a ton more in rent if I was forced out. I imagine the landlord thought an older tenant would be an easy target. Needless to say, I could never find another affordable place in the city I love and I cannot imagine losing the community of friends I’ve built here.

I reached out to ALRP for help and Allison Pruitt, their Senior Supervising Attorney, got to work. She challenged the eviction paperwork, helped file a formal response, and talked to every tenant in my building, confirming that no one had ever complained about me or my roommate. Allison then represented me at the settlement conference, at which point the landlord threw in the towel, as they say.

I’m now safely in my home and community of neighbors and friends.

Thank you, Allison, and ALRP!

Phil*

*I can’t use my real name because I don’t want to face any more harassment from my landlord.