Student finds failure with local housing authority, saves client from eviction

This was a public housing eviction of  a client with five children for “repeated late payment of rent.”   The lease defines “repeated
late payment” as paying after the fifth day of the month four times during any twelve-month period. The client works at a low-paying job.  The client had clearly violated the lease provision.  But the student determined that part of the reason for the late payment was the local housing authority’s failure to properly allow the client to pay for utility charges through a payment plan, resulting in a substantial rent over-burden.  The student represented the client at a formal administrative hearing before a hearing officer.  The hearing officer ruled in the client’s favor, finding that she should not be evicted.