Blog Post (Massachusetts)
Lonnie A. Powers
November 9, 2016
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Tags: Housing: Homelessness, Veterans
Organizations mentioned/involved: Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC), Community Legal Aid (CLA) (Central and Western Massachusetts), MetroWest Legal Services (Massachusetts)
DETAILS
In addition to working to get veterans into permanent housing, civil legal aid is often an effective intervention for veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless–an estimated 1.4 million veterans nationwide.
For example, several years ago, Legal Assistance Corp. of Central Massachusetts, now known as Community Legal Aid (CLA) helped Iraq War veteran Michael Damon and his family avoid foreclosure on their Uxbridge home. The family fell into financial hardship when war-related injuries left Damon disabled and he was ineligible to receive workers’ compensation. His injuries made him unable to care for his two children, which prevented his wife Lisa from working full-time. It wasn’t long before they received a foreclosure notice. Damon’s legal aid attorney filed suit on the family’s behalf against Countrywide Home Loans and Deutsche Bank. Their case was ultimately settled after their attorney was able to assist the Damons in repurchasing their home with a more affordable mortgage.