Jane's Journey to Tenant Justice

While recovering from open-heart surgery, Jane noticed a leak forming in her living room ceiling above the patio door. She reached out to her landlord for help, but her request for repairs were ignored. Concerned for her health and safety, Jane contacted the local health department to report the issue. Two days later, she found an eviction notice taped on her door. Overwhelmed and afraid, Jane turned to the internet in search of answers, and that’s where she found HOME.

When first reaching out, she was directed to HOME’s Assistant Director, LaTonya Springs, who reassured her not to panic, and that HOME was there to help. After listening to Jane’s situation about the untreated leak in her apartment and the retaliatory eviction from her landlord, LaTonya connected her to Legal Aid for legal representation.

At court, the judge challenged the landlord’s decision to evict Jane, questioning why she wasn’t simply moved to another unit during the repairs. The landlord claimed there were no other units available, but HOME had already launched an investigation, discovering that three units were available. The court ultimately had Jane place her rent in escrow, ensuring her rights were protected, but the retaliation didn’t stop there. After Jane’s rent was placed in escrow, her landlord continued to retaliate with constant notices on her door for innocuous actions, like reminding her to pick up after her dog.

About a month later, Jane’s friends and fellow tenants came to her in a panic after receiving eviction notices shortly after reporting a maintenance worker to the landlord for sexual harassment. With Jane still facing retaliation herself, and now her friends experiencing the same, what began as individual complaints quickly became a collective effort. HOME assisted Jane’s neighbors with investigating and filing a fair housing complaint with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission against the landlord and the maintenance worker for sex discrimination and sexual harassment. In the end, a settlement agreement was reached.

Looking back on her journey, Jane shared that she couldn’t have made it through without HOME’s support. Through HOME, she learned about her rights as a tenant, discovered she had options, and that help is always available. “If you’re having any problems at all, at least reach out to see if it’s something they can help with,” Jane advised. “A lot of people are afraid of retaliation, but HOME is here to protect you from that.”

Jane’s story is just one example of how HOME can make a difference. If you are having tenant-landlord issues or believe you are a victim of housing discrimination, including sexual harassment, reach out to HOME at (513) 721-4663.