Download 2010-2011 Foundation Annual Report (PDF) - Kcbf.org

“Thank you so much for
your help. I am finally
sleeping well at night.”
— Pro Bono Services client
Geraldine was so grateful to find the Housing Justice Project
(HJP) in the Law Library at the King County Courthouse, just like
the young woman at 2-1-1 said she would. It was such a relief
after dealing with the March rain and wind that morning, not to
mention the notice in her handbag that said she had 20 days
to leave her home. Off and on throughout the last year she’d
received a few 10-day notices, but when those had arrived her
middle-aged son had helped her sort it all out.
Geraldine was surprised at how many other people were waiting
at HJP, but soon an HJP volunteer attorney came over to ask her
what had happened before she’d received the 20-day notice.
It didn’t take long to tell the volunteer the whole story and
before Geraldine knew it, the attorney was talking with her
landlord. Unfortunately, her landlord refused to negotiate a
settlement that would allow Geraldine to stay in her apartment.
However, the volunteer attorney was able to negotiate for more
time for Geraldine to move out as well as a reserved judgment
which, the volunteer explained to Geraldine, was crucial to
Geraldine’s ability to find new housing. The Agreed Order,
entered on March 1st, gave Geraldine until March 10th to move
which didn’t seem quite what Geraldine had in mind when she’d
arrived at HJP earlier that morning.
But HJP wasn’t done yet. Though the timeline to help Geraldine
find new housing was daunting at best, HJP made a direct
referral to Solid Ground’s Seattle Housing Stabilization Services,
noting the time sensitivity. Solid Ground made an appointment
for Geraldine, qualified her for their services, and got her and
her son re-housed without any interim period of homelessness.
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