Story of Justice – CCLA Saves Senior’s Home

At 92 years old, Frederick had built a comfortable life in his subsidized apartment complex for low-income seniors. For more than a decade, he had called the same apartment home. Despite physical disabilities and chronic health conditions, he took pride in maintaining his independence and staying connected to the community he loved.

That sense of stability was shaken when his landlord filed an eviction case against him, claiming he left his kitchen sink running overnight and caused a flood. Frederick knew that was not true. Hoping to clear up the misunderstanding, he attended an informal hearing on his own, but the decision went against him. Suddenly, he was facing an eviction case in court and the possibility of losing his home and the independence he valued so dearly. He feared that without this affordable housing, his only option would be to move into an assisted living facility, something he dreaded.

The false accusation and sudden eviction case put his home—and his independence—at risk. That’s when Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA) stepped in. Housing attorneys in CCLA’s Senior Law Project immediately got to work, crafting a defense strategy and identifying what evidence was needed to prove Frederick’s innocence. They gathered inspection reports, obtained maintenance records, and interviewed key witnesses, including professionals from the water restoration and inspection companies who responded to the incident. Their investigation revealed that the flooding was far more likely caused by faulty, aging plumbing than any action by Frederick.

After months of litigation throughout the summer, and just before the trial was set to begin, both sides agreed to return to the negotiating table. The result was a settlement agreement that allowed Frederick to stay in his apartment as a tenant in good standing, preserving his home and his independence.

Today, Frederick continues to live safely and comfortably in his apartment, surrounded by the neighbors and community he’s known for years. Thanks to the dedicated advocacy of CCLA’s Senior Law Project, this 92-year-old senior avoided eviction and kept the stability and independence he worked so hard to maintain.