Timothy Brooks is a 55-year-old veteran who served in the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, for 12 years, and then worked in retail for 17. He recently moved from Maine to Florida—and had no friends or family here in Tampa.
Tim transitioned through the Salvation Army to a one-bedroom apartment. Although his neighborhood was less than desirable, he managed to make a few friends, one of whom was 30-year-old Jennifer. Eyes full of tears, Jennifer told Tim that her mother had died and that she was now homeless. A compassionate man who had found himself in a similar situation, Tim offered Jennifer a place to stay for the week. However, unaware that on subsidized housing one cannot allow people to live with you, he was soon served with an eviction notice. He asked Jennifer to leave, but she refused—and then became violent and verbally abusive. Tim feared for his safety and went to live in a shelter. The living conditions were dreadful—there were even bed bugs. He was then referred to Bay Area Legal Services.
Like many veterans, Tim had wandered in and out of homelessness, living and working in various shelters. Jennifer saw an opportunity to take advantage of a kind-hearted man, and she did.
Luckily, our attorney was able to help Tim. An unlawful detainer action was filed and our attorney contacted the property manager to avoid eviction. She was notified that conditions in the shelter were worsening by the minute and so she hand-delivered the Writ of Possession to the Sherriff’s Office, allowing Tim to return to his apartment preventing him from homelessness.