Housing Law

Migrant Camp - Threatened Eviction
     A northern Michigan migrant farmworker was fired and told by her employer that she and her five children had to leave their migrant camp by the end of the day. FLS was able to fax a letter and speak to the employer by telephone to explain that the farmworker had the legal right to remain in the housing and should not be illegally evicted. The client and her family were able to locate other suitable housing within a few days.

Castillo v. Bangor Housing Commission
     FLS and MMLAP settled this W.D. Mich. federal litigation for $45,000.  Our clients lived in HUD housing managed by the City of Bangor Housing Commission.  The case alleged violations of our clients' due process and civil rights based on their unheeded complaints of black mold growing in their apartment.  The family was threatened with eviction when they filed a grievance for the Housing Commission's failure to take corrective measures.  On August 1, 2002 the family was able to move out of public housing and into a new house!
 
Mobile Home Eviction
     Our office represented two families who were being evicted from a mobile home park in Cass County for being "unable to control the conduct of their children."  The landlord tried to evict the families for "just cause" using the above language as a justified reason for evicting the families.  However, after we pointed out to the landlord and the court that he had only vague allegations without any proof to support them, he agreed to dismiss the case.
     Tenants of mobile home parks who are being evicted for a reason other than non-payment of rent may not be evicted without "just cause," which could be for such reasons as using the mobile home for an unlawful purpose or an intentional physical injury by the tenant to the personnel, property, or tenants of the mobile home park.