The past month has been a wonderful reminder of the power of advocacy efforts. Our staff have had a significant impact on a range of important issues—including housing conditions, medical services, record sealing, and fair housing.
In October 2022, the Legal Aid Society of Columbus joined an ongoing nuisance abatement case against Sawyer Towers and Latitude Five25 that was brought by the City of Columbus. The case was filed based on the terrible housing conditions including multiple failures in the water, heat, electric, and elevator systems, in addition to other issues with sanitation and safety.
On Christmas Day, these issues came to a head when multiple pipes burst. The residents were forced to evacuate to an emergency shelter and then relocate to hotels provided by the city and county. After the evacuation, the owners hired unqualified contractors who released asbestos that spread throughout the building and contaminated belongings in every unit.
LASC has been working closely with the city and county crisis response team to coordinate services for residents and now represents over 100 residents. LASC is seeking compensation on behalf of the residents for their damaged property as well as the pain and suffering they’ve experienced since the current owners purchased the property. After a two-day hearing, the Court found Latitude Five25 guilty of contempt, saying they "are legally responsible for those losses due to their negligent and contemptuous actions.” The Court further ordered the appointment of a receiver and a contempt fine of $2,500,000 to compensate the tenants.
Other great decisions in the past month included a particularly favorable decision on a human trafficking survivor's record sealing case, allowing her better access to housing, and a fair housing decision in Marion where the Court found the landlord responsible for sexual harassment of a tenant. All of these life-changing outcomes are great examples of the importance and impact of our work.
