how to find legal help for a young person

Never having been poor, homeless or helpless I have no idea how to help someone.

A friend of my teenage daughter has been kicked out by his landlord. He's only 18 and I'm sure he's not entirely blameless, but the kid doesn't know what to do. He graduated early from high school and is attending community collage, so he's no drop out.

He's estranged from his parents and on his own. He work all last summer and paid the security deposit and one years rent up front. He was given an eviction notice but kicked out early before he had a chance to find somewhere else or even what his rights are. Right now he's out on his own and got no where to sleep. He's going to be staying with different friends but doesn't know what to do.

Who should he talk to for help? We've told him to get to the Social Security office and ask about food stamps and that potentially contact the ACLU for help with the landlord. Any suggestions.

Contact your local housing authority. Assuming he was current on rent most areas have rights lopsided towards the tenant. I would guess he may have been illegally evicted unless the laws in your area are strange. I would think he would be owed any pepayed rent less his security deposit as well.
Sounds like a rough situation for someone trying to do it right. Wish him Good luck.

Up here we have the office of the rentalsman,. which is a government agency. Dunno whether thats available there. I would think, unless he did some significant damage, he should get his unused rent back, but I'd wager that might take a while. If he got the boot, chances are the landlord isn't gonna be friendly.

Can you go talk adult to adult to the landlord, and get the whole story?

unless he destroyed that apartment.. or broke his part of the contract.. I do not see how he could get kicked out.. and yes, his landlord owes him some money

HUD! of course thanks. I'll get him in touch with them tomorrow.

Datsun1500 wrote: I He has a one year contract that is paid in full, the landlord can not kick him out.

The landlord may not be able to kick him out for nonpayment of rent, but that doesn't mean he can't kick him out for violating the lease in some other way (unless Maryland's laws are really, really nuts). If I have a tenant who pays for a year up front, but I find out he's cooking meth in there, you better believe he's getting kicked out. That said, at least up here in Maine, I would be obligated to return any pre-paid rent starting on the date that the apartment is re-occupied, and I am also obligated to make a reasonable effort to re-rent the apartment to minimize the departing tenant's lost rent (IE, If I try to sit on the place until the lease/prepayment runs out, the departing tenant can sue me for lost rent if I can't prove I made an effort to find a new tenant).

There's probably some kind of 'student counseling' offered at his school. They should be able to help him find legal aid either at the school or in the community as well as help him find a new place to stay quickly, help him figure out if he really did screw up and deserve to be evicted, etc. If the school has anyone whose job it is to find housing for students (a lot of schools keep a database of landlords with rentals available, or have a room mate matching program, etc) they will be able to help him learn about his rights and how to fight back if he was illegally evicted.

A quick search of the school's website should be able to help him find them.

Bob

Schmidlap wrote: There's probably some kind of 'student counseling' offered at his school. They should be able to help him find legal aid either at the school or in the community as well as help him find a new place to stay quickly, help him figure out if he really did screw up and deserve to be evicted, etc. If the school has anyone whose job it is to find housing for students (a lot of schools keep a database of landlords with rentals available, or have a room mate matching program, etc) they will be able to help him learn about his rights and how to fight back if he was illegally evicted. A quick search of the school's website should be able to help him find them. Bob

That is the answer right there ^^^.

Go to the Counseling office at the CC!

If there is a law school nearby they probably have a legal aid clinic that would love this type of case.

His college probably has a lawyer on staff for this stuff.

I think you missed something...

...Why was he evicted? It makes a difference. (That's why there is a lot of speculation going on in this thread).

that is the 64,000 dollare question

Yeah, if there are any. The OP didn't say that either.

Un as a Marylander somewhat involved in real estate leasing, I assure you, you can kick a tenant out for cooking meth, even if they've pre-paid their rent. As well eviction for code violations, destruction of property, keeping of animals, etc. BTDT, it's really not that hard...usually.

To the OP, you can also consider opening your own door to this kid, temporarily. That will give him a warm place to sleep. Beware, someone who's estranged his family and gotten kicked out from a place is usually bringing some colorful baggage with them. Eye's open should you open your doors to him.

I think the land lord has reason to kick him out, but he hasn't damaged the place and is absolutely due the return of his money. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll make sure he contacts his CC counseling office.

To Foxtrapper, my family, but not our house has opened a door to him. He's in the gray area of friend Vs boyfriend to my teenage daughter. As she's technically my step daughter, I don't want the possibility of come back from her biological father saying we allow a boyfriend to sleep over, even in a different part of the house. But as I say, he stayed at another family members house last night and will do tonight.

Any way to get a copy of the contract?

Can you give us his city and state so we can do some searching on your behalf? My father and girlfriend are both attorneys who do a fair amount of pro bono work, and I may be able to get you some contacts through their professional networks.

Birmingham Michigan area

Office of Social Sevices, or what ever it is called locally will help with subsitence. A lawyer will help with the rent problem.

alex wrote: Can you give us his city and state so we can do some searching on your behalf? My father and girlfriend are both attorneys who do a fair amount of pro bono work, and I may be able to get you some contacts through their professional networks.

You might want to check with the local bar association. They somtimes have some kind of pro-bono clinics for problems like this.

Was he an "adult" before signing? If he signed the lease before turning 18 is it still valid?

I second checking with law school legal clinics. I volunteered with the homeless youth clinic when I was in school. I got good results for a few kids just with nasty letterage.

sorry no real help beyond my grandpa owned/rented out about 200 houses/apts in jackson MI... I know he had to jump though some pretty crappy hoops to remove tenants... always started with going to court and took more then a month typically... I know MI had some very tenant sided policies