LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF HAWAI‘I
  • Home
    • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Locations
    • Legal Aid Newsletter >
      • Legal Aid Newsletter Archives
    • Annual Report
    • Upcoming Events
    • Staff >
      • Staff
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Elder Law Services
    • Brochures
    • Legal Navigator
    • Self-Help Centers
  • Opportunities
    • Employment Opportunities >
      • Director of Finance
      • Staff Attorney: Fair Housing Enforcement and Housing - Honolulu
      • Staff Attorney: Maui
    • Volunteer >
      • Disaster Recovery Legal Services
      • Clerical Aides & Paralegals
      • Law Student Externship
      • Pro Bono Attorneys
      • Attorney Volunteer-Self-Help Center
      • Summer Clerkship
  • Legal Aid Impact
    • Legal Aid News
  • GIVE NOW
    • Support Our Work
    • Ways to Give
    • Cy Pres Funds
    • Leadership Circle
  • Hawai‘i Immigrant Justice Center
    • Citizens of the Freely Associated States
    • Domestic Violence
    • Human Trafficking

LEGAL AID IMPACT

advocacy from legal aid kept waianae woman from being houseless again

6/1/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
*Gabby, a part-Hawaiian single woman, used to live on the beaches of Waianae.

After over a decade, she finally afforded a two-bedroom apartment (shared with her brother) with assistance from the City and County’s Section 8 housing voucher program. ​

To make sure she kept the apartment, Gabby religiously paid $85 every first of the month. The supplemental Section 8 housing voucher also arrived earlier than the due date.

One day, to Gabby’s surprise, there was a notice on her front door informing her of late fees of $2,000, which were accumulated over two years. She was confused; she always paid on time and the housing voucher was always early.

“When I saw the letter, I started to cry,” Gabby recalled. “I called the office right away but I did not get any call back. I even sent a certified letter and it came back with a ‘return to sender’ note. I was panicking.”

For the next three weeks, Gabby tried to reach the property manager’s office for an explanation. There was no response. In the meantime, she also looked for financial assistance for the $2,000 she allegedly owed. If she didn’t pay the “late fees,” she feared she would be houseless again.

Good thing Gabby contacted Legal Aid. In December 2022, Managing Attorney Russ Awakuni became her primary advocate. 

Russ immediately scheduled a meeting with the property management office’s resident manager and supervisor after receiving Gabby’s pertinent documentation and paperwork.

“Russ clarified everything; I just listened to what he had to say,” said Gabby. “He had the lady on the computer and asked her how the breakdown went. He brought up the payment being encoded and who puts it in. They said they do only when they have the time because they are short-staffed and really busy in the office.”

“We learned that the accounting department did not have the Notice of HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) contract in their files, so they held the checks and did not apply the monies to Gabby’s account,” Russ said. “Once they received a copy of the Notice, the issue was resolved and she was happy and relieved.”

Due to Legal Aid’s help, Gabby did not need to pay any late fees and was able to stay in her apartment. Also, she decided to pay her monthly rent a few days earlier to avoid the same issue from happening again.

She is no longer worried about the possibility of getting evicted and going back to the beach as a houseless person.

“You know, Legal Aid is a miracle; they helped me live,” said Gabby. “I think that they’re awesome. They’re very helpful. My attorney worked really hard. I tried to make it easy for him to help me by doing the legwork and giving him all the papers that he needed.”

Gabby now feels at peace, relieved and validated. She is focused on staying healthy and providing for herself.

“I’m very happy. I would recommend Legal Aid to anybody who needs legal help.” 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Client Stories
    Donor Stories
    Staff Stories

    Archives

    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020

Home
Get-Help
Resources
Fair Housing

hawai‘i immigrant Justice Center
Volunteer 
​JOBS
Contact Us

Join Our Email List

Picture
Translate this site into 
another language

Picture
924 Bethel Street
Honolulu, HI 96813  
​

O‘ahu
808-536-4302
​
​Neighbor Islands

1-800-499-4302
Picture

Picture

THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF HAWAII DOES NOT HELP
WITH CRIMINAL OR PERSONAL INJURY MATTERS.

PLEASE CONSULT A PRIVATE ATTORNE
Y.

​computer safety
Websites you visit may be viewed by someone else later.  ​
​always clear your browsing history after searching the web.
​consider using a public or friend’s computer if you are concerned about someone viewing your browsing history.
​Legal Aid Society of Hawaii is a recipient of federal funding. Legal Aid does not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or age in admission to, participation in, or receipt of the services and benefits under any of its programs and activities.
How to file a complaint: If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination by Legal Aid, there are 3 ways to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights: 

Click here for more information.

GRIEVANCE REGARDING DENIAL OF SERVICS OF QUALITY OF SERVICES
ANY CLIENT OR APPLICANT CAN FILE A GRIEVANCE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A DENIAL OF SERVICES OR QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF HAWAII.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i ©2020 All Rights Reserved


  • Home
    • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Locations
    • Legal Aid Newsletter >
      • Legal Aid Newsletter Archives
    • Annual Report
    • Upcoming Events
    • Staff >
      • Staff
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Elder Law Services
    • Brochures
    • Legal Navigator
    • Self-Help Centers
  • Opportunities
    • Employment Opportunities >
      • Director of Finance
      • Staff Attorney: Fair Housing Enforcement and Housing - Honolulu
      • Staff Attorney: Maui
    • Volunteer >
      • Disaster Recovery Legal Services
      • Clerical Aides & Paralegals
      • Law Student Externship
      • Pro Bono Attorneys
      • Attorney Volunteer-Self-Help Center
      • Summer Clerkship
  • Legal Aid Impact
    • Legal Aid News
  • GIVE NOW
    • Support Our Work
    • Ways to Give
    • Cy Pres Funds
    • Leadership Circle
  • Hawai‘i Immigrant Justice Center
    • Citizens of the Freely Associated States
    • Domestic Violence
    • Human Trafficking