About
This blog is intended to be a research guide for homeless people trying to learn about their legal rights and liabilities. It presents typical legal questions that arise in homeless life and then provides general information by introducing likely areas of law to investigate, showing search terms, and giving leads to primary law sources. The content of this blog is not tailored to anybody’s particular situation and should not be considered legal advice.
The administrator of this site is Linda Tashbook, Esq., an attorney licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and professional law librarian. She obtained her Juris Doctorate and Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Her private law practice emphasizes legal aid for the homeless. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ms. Tashbook coordinated public library outreach to families in public housing and homeless shelters, served on the Allegheny County Runaway and Homeless Youth Task Force as well as the Allegheny County Homeless Education Network, and volunteered with various programs benefiting and involving homeless families.
In the comments sections following each question in this blog, please write about your relevant legal experiences with homeless life and please add links to resources that would be helpful to other readers who are interested in homeless people’s legal issues.
Panch Bharathan said
A good primer for Librarians.
George M Weinert V said
GREAT! I am a Paralegal Student at Roosevelt University here in Chicago who has been the victim of legal thuggery for over four years. The details are at
http://mercylakefront.blogspot.com/
As a victim and Paralegal I’m very interested in helping others in the same situation. Gotta run for a test in the Federal Rules of Evidence but I’ll be back after noon today.
Lesley L. Bautista said
I became HOMELESS when a calif lsn notary public and wife FORGED/NOTARIZED/RECORDED/ TRANSFERRED my PROPERTY to themselves,(he notarized GRANT DEED I granted my house to his wife whom was going as her recently dead husbands name) they paid the soon to be ex-husband $20,000.oo to sign them separate grant deed . The local law enforcement refused to file criminal charges felony forgery/fraud. I believe they bribed a commissioner,law enforcement/detective is personal friend of notary,my attorney, ect, (very wealthy)
ANYONE that can offer advice on how I can file in federal court , I need to find legalities to keep within statues since it’s been years, I am seeking justice.
THANK-YOU ALL
LLB
SharkGirl said
I became homeless when I wouldn’t become corrupted in government contracting. I have been a pro se litigant now for six years, and the cases I’m involved in have escalated because I exposed the corruption.
Now, my blog is frequently visited by the House, Senate, Pentagon, many military domains and law firm sites.
I am on the edge of homelessness again, at any given time, because of my refusal (or stubbornness) to quit the cases. I have been offered enough bribes to have paid for a home.
When I reach the other side of these cases, I hope there is something I can do for the homeless, as they are deeply in my heart.
T-Bone Law said
Shark Girl and Bautista, your stories are incredibly interesting albeit sad. I wish the best of luck to you two.
A homeless advocate said
The lengthy and scholarly pages contained within this website about civil rights and the homeless may be legally accurate, but police interactions with the homeless are far different reality. I have experience working directly with the street homeless as well as years of association with the ACLU. The homeless are among the most vulnerable of our society; they have no power and few personal advocates. The police are often under direction from their mayor’s office, or superiors to make sweeps of known homeless gathering places. In the moments of fear and confusion the homeless victim has little negotiating power with the police; demands for civil rights are treated as ridiculous rantings; “I’ll call my lawyer” only amuses the police who may respond with physical abuse. While the legalities are interesting, they are not the realities. Interactions with police are not opportunities for negotiation on the part of the homeless. Instead, the homeless need to cooperate as a matter of self preservation, forfeiting their civil rights in order to not be further victimized in that situation. Educating both the police and the public as to why people are homeless and encouraging compassion and understanding are more effective strategies than quoting laws and legal cases.
SharkGirl said
Thank you T-Bone.
Homeless Advocate, I agree with you. It breaks my heart to see the homeless out there on the streets and yet I know some of them are there by choice. I also know a person can shut down all hope and just plain give up.
I’ve been there with my cases, and sleeping in my car with not enough gas to keep the car warmed up in the middle of winter. I’ve cried myself to sleep so many nights, and was on the verge of just becoming numb in my mind and my heart.
I was one of the blessed ones. I had a car to call “home”. Had I of been on the streets like others, I don’t know if anyone would have been able to reach me. You just get to the point where you shut down.
I’m working with someone who is bringing attention in Macon, Georgia, the day after Thanksgiving, to the homeless problem here. She’s going to set up temporary shelter on the public street downtown and demonstrate the need for a solution. I’m going to write a story for a newspaper I’m starting, and hoping to do something for our area, on a more permanent basis than our shelters can provide.
There must be a way to reach into the hearts of these people and give them hope, no matter what their state of mind of is.
Gregory L.Piso said
Hello !
I would like to organise kind of this blog in Poland. There is a lot of homeless people here, but the are no good solutions in polish law. Please, help, and contact me ( avicoolaria@wp.pl )
Steve at home said
Sqatter’s Right: My landlord ‘walked away’ from the mortgage on the property of the apartment in which i reside with my family. he returned my April 2008 rent check, uncashed. No one has come forward to collet rent or evict me since; can I claim sqatter’s rights to ownership of the property?
Suz said
I have a question about adverse possession.
I (along with my three dogs, 1 cat) are about to loose our home to forclosure.
I am disabled and receive $950 per month on SS disability.
I found a property in my area (Near Tucson, Az) that has been vacant for about 7 years (the owner inherited it from his deceased father)
I called the owner in RedondoBeach California to ask if he would be willing to sell or rent the property to me. He said ” it is not a good time for me to sell right now”
The house is falling apart, has wood rot, roof issues, lot of broken trees, trash everywhere. It looks likely that there are rats in the house, but I see the potential in this house…I could fix it up.
The owner is paying taxes,but it is obvious that he does not want to care for the property. One odd note is that the owner is paying the gas bill, but not the electric
So, can I legally take possession of the the property? is this considered trespassing in any way or doing anything illegal?
From what I can understand about Adverse Possession, I think I can take possession and wait and see if the owner wants to evict me?
What a sad thing that someone would let a nice house just go to ruin, especially when I could keep it up and it would give me and my rescue pets a home instead of the street.
Any advise on how to proceed would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Suz
Slum Jack said
I’ve been homeless for just about a year now. This predicament has seriously delayed my own pro per legal pursuits. ANY resources possibly useful for this can be important. I notice that this blog/site appears to have idled for some time. I also notice that this is typically the case with so many “homeless” oriented things.
I hadn’t been prepared for the local official corruptions and the shocking non-help, even counterproductive influence, of supposed “help” organizations like “Legal Aid” and the county courts “self help program”. The many outfits proclaiming themselves as purposed with “helping the homeless” have turned out to be far more about paying the staff’s rent/mortgages than anything else.
As increasing numbers, and types, of people become displaced and disenfranchised like this, I suspect that true class warfare grows more imminant.
Bertha Dubon said
HI I’M LEGALY GOING THROUGH FORCLOSURE AND NEED SOME ADVISE, CAN I FILE FOR SQUATTER’S LAW/ADVERSE POSESSION AND HOW? A DESPERATE WOMEN WHO DOESN’T HAVE ANYWERE TO GO.
BY THE HOMELESS FOR THE HOMELESS said
BY THE HOMELESS FOR THE HOMELESS blog has added you to their blog list. THANKS! COME VISIT US!
Mike said
Linda,
Great job and great idea. This is a nice way to give back to the community. I will start referencing your website throughout mine when I feel it would be appropriate.
Thanks for helping the homeless community!
Mike