Children's Law Center Logo 25th Anniversary

“I’m trying to set up stability for me and my baby – I need to make sure she’s safe.” – Ms. Daniels

Last October, Ms. Daniels* and her baby girl Marisa got the keys to their new apartment. Ms. Daniels had found a housing program that would provide partial rental assistance for 12-18 months – giving her just a short time to get back to her education, acquire new skills and secure a job that would make it possible to afford rent in DC. 

 

Instead of being able to use the year to focus on building job skills, she’s had to fight for her daughter’s health. Holes in the kitchen and bathroom walls have led to infestations of roaches, mice and their droppings all over the apartment. Ms. Daniels is afraid to let Marisa crawl on the floor.   

 

Her landlord refuses to make lasting repairs.

Now she's facing an impossible dilemma: While she doesn’t want to stay in an apartment that’s making her daughter sick, the case manager for her housing program hasn’t found an affordable – and healthy – alternative.

With their October deadline closing in, we’re fast-tracking parallel strategies to get Ms. Daniels and her baby a solution: 

  

  • Taking her landlord to court to make the critical repairs – and seeking an extension for her subsidy once conditions improve, and   



  • Helping her apply for long-term housing. 

We work directly with families like the Daniels to help them find stable, healthy housing – and advocate for systemic changes that set families up for success, not failure.  

 

Thank you for your continued support in this critical time. 


Lacia Japp

Supervising Attorney, Healthy Together Program

Children’s Law Center 


 


*Pseudonyms and a stock photo have been used to protect the family's privacy. All other details are true.

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