We change lives one courtroom at a time, and the law is our tool. But the fight for housing justice will never be won by lawyers alone.

When management wanted to renovate Gabriella’s apartment, they temporarily relocated her to another unit with a horrible bedbug infestation. She didn’t hear a word from management for three weeks.

After Hurricane Irma, Anna’s house was all but falling apart. With the help of one of our volunteer attorneys, Colby Nixon, Anna avoided $3,425 in costs.

Thanks to Laura Smithman and Margaret Flatt, Jade didn’t have to face her fear of testifying in open court about the abuse that she endured.

Jeffrey Tompkins, a volunteer, supporter, and long-time friend of AVLF, recalls his very first Saturday Lawyer experience – with a surprising twist.

John already had serious health problems which required surgeries and nurse home visits before his issues with his home began. But the nurses refused to keep coming for home visits because of hazardous conditions at his property.

Every day in Atlanta, landlords carry out illegal evictions. They toss their tenants out without the benefit of court filings or a hearing, often because rent is a few days late. Most of the tenants who call AVLF have no prior warning of these “self-help” evictions. They simply return home to find that their key no longer fits in the lock, and peer through their own windows to see that all of their belongings have been removed or ransacked.

In Atlanta, mold infestations are common. When our subtropical summers meet a negligent landlord, fungus can flourish on the walls, causing a wide range of health problems. Standing with Our Neighbors (SWON) staff members are no strangers to this issue.

AVLF’s Safe and Stable Homes team was honored with two special awards this month, which recognize their commitment to lifting Atlanta communities.

AVLF distributes children’s books during every Saturday Lawyer Clinic, where volunteer attorneys meet with clients about housing and employment issues. The reason why might surprise you. 

11Alive met with a Forest Cove resident and AVLF staff to discuss the housing issues that students and tenants face in the Thomasville Heights neighborhood.

Through an intensive alternative spring break, law students learned about how their degree can combat housing instability and enrollment turnover.