Staff Attorney Janet James shared her incredible story with WTKR this week while promoting LASEV’s housing expungement program. Ms. James had a successful career in insurance when her company suddenly downsized and left her and her children without financial support and homeless.
Ms. James is part of LASEV’s housing expungement program, which helps people ensure that their rental history aligns with the reality of their experience. Dismissed evictions might be eligible to be removed entirely from a person’s history, while matters that have been paid off can be marked correctly. The goal is to remove barriers that prevent renters from finding affordable housing in neighborhoods where they want to live.
As a former client of Legal Aid, Ms. James shared with WTKR that she loves working at LASEV because the program gives people hope. “There are people who could be like I was, where you’re doing well, then something happens, then all of the sudden you’re in a whole different ball game,” James said. “There’s something about hope — when I went to Legal Aid at my lowest, it gave me hope.”