Impact Advocacy
By: Source: AARP Foundation Date Posted: 2007-01-05
Predatory Lending and Title Fraud Project
For the past decade, LCE has been involved in various efforts to help older persons who are victimized by predatory lending and title fraud practices. LCE has played an integral role in securing D.C. legislation that protects consumers from predatory lending practices. It has also handled a large number of individual cases, and conducts speaking engagements to educate the community.
Eviction Prevention Project – "Alternatives to Landlord-Tenant Court for the Elderly Project"
Many seniors renting apartments find themselves suddenly faced with an eviction notice or a summons to appear in landlord/tenant court. This is typically because the housing manager or the landlord knows only one remedy when a tenant has allegedly violated the lease or has not paid the rent.
In the last couple of years, LCE has started a program to intervene in these situations. The "Alternatives to Landlord/Tenant Court for the Elderly Project" provides the opportunity for housing providers to call LCE and/or involve community social workers where there is a problem situation with an elder tenant.
The problem may involve non-payment of rent, a fire hazard in the apartment due to excess trash, or other situations in which the tenant is in violation of the lease. The social worker, working with an LCE attorney, is able to intervene by providing supportive social and legal services for the tenant so that he or she may continue to live independently.
Some of the services provided by the Project are mental and physical health assessments, cleaning services, voluntary bill payors, financial power of attorneys, etc. The Project allows tenants to live safely and avoid the trauma and expense of landlord/tenant court. Every year, about 75 people in such situations are helped by the project.
Tax Sale Prevention Project
An alarming number of older people lose their homes every year due to the tax sale of their homes by the D.C. government for failure to pay property taxes. This can result from a number of factors—people who have paid off their mortgage and do not realize that they, and not the mortgage company, must continue to pay real estate taxes; failure of the government to notify the homeowner; mental incapacity issues of the homeowner; and even lost mail.
There are a variety of legal remedies available. In this program, a staff attorney coordinates an outreach effort to identify older persons in D.C. who face this situation, and then bring to bear whatever legal remedies are available to prevent the tax sale or retrieve the home from a tax sale.
Systemic Reform Initiatives
AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly is working on eight systemic initiatives as part of a joint effort among LCE, AARP D.C. and private law firms working on a pro bono basis. The projects deal with quality of care in nursing homes, grandparents’ rights, real estate, assisted living, wills and powers of attorney, and other issues. These initiatives will immeasurably improve the quality of life of many older District residents.
Read about past Initiatives and some individual cases (PDF)
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