VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – The Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia has sued the Virginia Beach Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation (“VBDHNP”) on behalf of Ms. Rahsheda Scott, a disabled widow, and her disabled adult son, both of whom are now facing homelessness.
Ms. Scott was a long-term participant in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, a critical resource that allows low-income tenants to afford housing in the private market. Without her voucher, Ms. Scott and her disabled son are grappling with impending homelessness. Ms. Scott has multiple diagnoses including a progressive hearing impairment, short-term memory loss, difficulty processing information and posttraumatic stress disorder. As Ms. Scott’s disabilities continue to affect her daily life, she needs increasing support to understand and complete complex documents. However, VBDHNP recently terminated Ms. Scott’s voucher, claiming that she did not correctly complete paperwork and arguing that her disabilities were irrelevant.
When Ms. Scott submitted a reasonable accommodation request, VBDHNP ignored its obligations under the law and summarily denied the request without engaging in any interactive discussions as it is required to do. To date, VBDHNP has not shown any willingness to engage with Ms. Scott. The lawsuit contends that VBDHNP unlawfully discriminated against Ms. Scott in violation of the Fair Housing Act and Virginia Fair Housing law and also violated her right to due process under the state and federal constitutions. Ms. Scott is seeking the reinstatement of her voucher, compensatory and punitive damages.
Strategic Litigation Attorney Evan Carcerano states “Both as a participant in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and as a disabled individual, Ms. Scott is entitled to important rights and protections under the law. VBDHNP egregiously ignored its obligations at critical junctures, leaving Ms. Scott and her disabled son facing the looming risk of homelessness. LASEV will seek vindication of Ms. Scott’s rights and full accountability against VBDHNP for its failure to comply with its obligations under federal and state laws.”
If you believe you are facing a similar problem and think you may qualify for LASEV’s services, please apply for assistance by visiting us online at http://www.laseva.org, by calling our Eligibility Screening Line at (757) 827-5078, or by walk-in at one of our locations.
The Complaint can be found at this link [https://tinyurl.com/scott-complaint] and on LASEV’s website.