Client Stories

 

Gabriel’s Story

Gabriel, a Mexican immigrant who works in a Brooklyn warehouse, has lived in his rent-stabilized apartment in Woodside with his family for ten years. After consulting with the Immigrant Tenant Advocacy Program, Gabriel discovered that his landlord was illegally overcharging him for rent. Click here to read more.

Maria’s Story

When CMS took her case, Maria was 82 years old. Born in Guacari, Colombia, she came to the United States and worked for many years as both a domestic worker and in a factory. Like so many immigrants of her generation, she struggled to find an affordable place to live in New York City and eventually settled in the immigrant working class neighborhood of Elmhurst, Queens. She and her partner, Fernando, lived together in a rent stabilized apartment from 1988 until Fernando’s death in 2010. Click here to read more.

Gelasio’s Story

Gelasio, husband and father of two children, came to one of our walk-in legal clinics distraught because his landlord was demanding rent payments that Gelasio had already tendered. Gelasio, a Mexican immigrant from Oaxaca, had already lived in his apartment for over a year and had made every rent payment on time. During the first nine months of his tenancy, Gelasio made timely rental payments to the real estate broker who had a working relationship with the landlord. With the landlord’s permission, this broker accepted monthly payments from Gelasio and delivered them to the landlord. After the real estate broker absconded with two of these payments, the landlord demanded the money from Gelasio and commenced a nonpayment eviction proceeding against Gelasio and his family. Click here to read more.

Nelly’s Story

Nelly’s experience with CMS began when her and her neighbors believed they were being overcharged for their rent stabilized apartments in Jamaica, Queens. They filed a complaint with the state housing agency. After a complicated administrative process, Nelly and her neighbors wound up facing eviction, even though they always paid their rent in full and on time. Click here to read more.

Carmen’s Story

Carmen was 60 years old. She and her husband lived in their rent stabilized apartment in Sunnyside, Queens for almost 30 years.  Carmen spent her days looking for work while her husband worked nights at a local restaurant.  Even with a relatively low rent, they had trouble affording their apartment.  She attended one of the Immigrant Tenant Advocacy Program’s (ITAP) walk-in legal clinics, bringing with her court papers for eviction from her landlord. Click here to read more.