1. Leveraging Legal Services for Older Adults

2. Overview Spotting Legal Issues Referrals to Legal Services
Legal services agencies can help with a broad array of legal issues. Although this project focuses on seniors and housing stability issues, please refer other cases as well.
Referrals to Legal Services
Who, How, What, When?

3. HUBS Project Intake Questions
Is your name on the deed to your house?
Do you have a will?
Are you behind on any bills? (e.g. credit cards, water bills, BGE, etc.)
Have you gotten paperwork from a court? (e.g. related to foreclosure, district court collections cases, family law issues, etc.?

4. Have you gotten paperwork from a court?
Easiest type of legal issue to spot
Need for help is often urgent

5. Is Your name on the deed to your house?
If the answer is NO, why is this a problem?
Client will have trouble negotiating with mortgage company if she falls behind.
Client will not be able to access City loan & grant programs
Client cannot access homeowner’s insurance
Client cannot transfer property

6. Is Your name on the deed to your house?
What might a lawyer do to help?
Open an estate
Litigation
Deed Transfer
Negotiate with mortgage company

7. Do you have a will? If the answer is NO, why is this a problem?
State law, not the client or client’s family, can decide what happens with any property when the client dies
Often causes fighting and stress among family members
Can lead to problems like tax sale where the family could lose the property
If property is lost, vacancy is an issue for the whole community

8. I’m thinking about putting my son/Daughter on the Deed
This could have negative implications depending on the situation. Strongly advise the client to seek free legal advice

9. Do you have a will? What might a lawyer do to help?
Help you think about difficult end of life decisions
Help you make a will, advance directive, power of attorney, etc.
Help set up a plan that will allow you to decide what happens with your property
Help lessen future stress for family members after your death

10. Are you behind on any bills?
How could this turn into a legal issue?
Sometimes debt collectors try to collect on debts that the client isn’t even legally obligated to pay
There may be disputes as to whether client even owed debt to begin with
Harassment by debt collectors
Non-payment of certain bills (water, citations) can lead to loss of the home
Client might be in bankruptcy or considering bankruptcy
The sooner you deal with debt issues the better, even if there is no court case currently!

11. ARE You Behind on any Bills?
What might a lawyer do to help?
Find out if a creditor can legally collect the debt
Help if the creditor has violated the law by harassing the client
Negotiate a payment plan or settlement of the debt
Discuss bankruptcy options and how that affects homeownership
Dispute water bills and City citations