Reversing the Downward Spiral of a Public Housing Resident

"Ms. Brown's" life took a severe turn for the worse when she suffered the crippling stroke that left her seriously debilitated. Following brain surgery, she could not walk, could not use her left arm or left leg, could not see out of her left eye, and could not hear out of her left ear. She was forced to quit the job she loved as an assistant in a veterinary office, and faced a daily struggle to perform the most basic tasks like eating and bathing. Her marriage eventually fell apart, and unable to work, she sold her home in part to pay for the costly personal care attendants who help her function on a daily basis.  Ms. Brown ultimately found herself living alone in public housing with a pile of medical bills. 

With medical bills in excess of a thousand dollars a month, she found it impossible to pay them and keep up with her share of the rent. Forced to choose between her housing and her health, Ms. Brown chose the latter. “Every time I heard someone walk down the hall by my door, I said ‘This is it. They’re here to clean out my house.’ Her fears came true. The Somerville Housing Authority gave her an eviction notice.  Ms. Brown's GBLS attorney has witnessed this kind of downward tailspin in the lives of many of her clients. Working in legal services, she observes, “[you see] how very, very quickly people spiral down.”

Fearful of becoming homeless, Ms. Brown sought legal help from Cambridge Somerville Legal Services (CASLS). She explained the situation to two senior attorneys in the CASLS office whom she would eventually describe as “Superman and Supergirl.”  Ms. Brown remembers them reassuring her, “Don’t worry.  Nobody is going to put you out on the street.”   

The attorneys negotiated with the Somerville Housing Authority, and ultimately persuaded it to allow Ms. Brown to remain in her apartment. At the same time, they helped her qualify for MassHealth insurance through a complex provision in the program that grants eligibility to certain individuals if their medical bills exceed a certain percentage of their income. As a result, today Ms. Brown continues to live in her apartment, and no longer faces the monthly dilemma of paying rent versus medical bills.   

Ms. Brown is extremely appreciative of the help she received from GBLS commenting that without them she would not be here today. “There’s nothing like being afraid and not having someone to help. And not having the money to get help,” she says.  “I think legal services are wonderful.”