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Affordable Housing A Path to HomelessnessHi, I am a 73 year old retired, disabled, veteran who lives on Social Security and if you haven't guessed already, I live in an Affordable Housing Project owned by the County of Kauai. I have done everything requested of me from the first notice of violation as I cherish my home and can't afford to lose it. I requested a Grievance Hearing with the local Public Housing Authority (PHA - HCV Program) for my Section 8 housing. The Federal Register lists The Kauai County Housing Agency as the local PHA. The hearing was approved and I waited for a date and time. Then it was canceled saying that I had done nothing wrong within the program to warrant a hearing. I was referred to the Agency of Elderly Affairs who referred me to the Legal Aid Society. After providing everything asked for I was told it was believed I had a case and awaited an appointment with the managing director. Then I was told that the managing director was leaving to accept another job and the only other lawyer in the office doesn't believe these types of cases are winnable because the County makes out the contracts as month to month rentals rather than the HUD mandated year to year lease and you can't introduce the federal law in court because the HUD mandated Tenancy Addendum is not attached to your contract. Therefore HRS 521-71 applies, that basically says management can evict a tenant for no reason. A few days later I got a call from the legal assistant who was originally helping me, saying she had forwarded all my paperwork to a lawyer in Honolulu who specializes in this type of case. After spending several hours telling him the details, he kept saying that I wasn't giving him anything to work with. In his words it always ends in a he said she said even with witnesses or so called proof where the judge couldn't decide the truth, until I mentioned management cheating on the House Rules. The next day I got a call telling me that after an hour on the phone with EAH Housings lawyer he had convinced him that management could not win this case in court. Now I'm a bit vague as to what happened next even though I asked questions, but the next thing that happened was the new best way out was a Mutual Termination Agreement sent by EAH Housing's lawyer. When I asked what happened I was told, we work in teams using local lawyers, we do not have the budget to island hop for court appearances. All the members of the team must agree on a course of action. The only thing that makes sense here is the local lawyer refused to litigate the case in court. I read the agreement and refused to sign it because of all the illegal things it contained. We then spent time rewording the agreement and sending it back. Basically they were to dismiss the case and I must move in 60 days. The next hearing was on Aug 19 and the local lawyer presented the agreement to the judge. EAH Housing's lawyer was a no show and the judge refused to dismiss the case. He asked for a stipulation from EAH Housing's lawyer to dismiss. I knew at this point they were not going to live up to their agreement. I was assured that this would not happen until the time ran out on Oct 31, 2019 and it did not happen. I didn't move because they broke the agreement the day they were a no show in court. Next I get a summons to appear because they were suing me for breaking the agreement. That summons broke the state law for not giving me time to prepare. So the next summons was dated Dec 2, 2019 the same day they dismissed the original case. EHA Housing's lawyer flew in from Honolulu specifically for this hearing. The judge puts us in mediation because I do not have representation. EAH Housing's lawyer proceeds to tell me I can not win this case and he is very good at what he does. If we do not reach an agreement you will lose your HCV (Section 8 voucher) for five years and become homeless. I'm EMR Sensitive and the first problem I have in Lihue because of all the cell towers and free Wi-Fi is organizing my thoughts. Doctors do not recognize this problem yet. While the mediator was asking good questions he could not see a good end result for me. The fair housing Act gives up to 60 days for disabled people and I caved to that. The agreement was signed and the judge agreed. I have all along been looking for a place to live, desperately wanting to get away from this manager. Affordable Housing directly from the state or HUD (through the Hawaii Housing Agency) is 3 years out after you fill out the paperwork and approved you are put on a waiting list. Looking for other affordable housing, the waiting lists are not open and there are no vacancies. Looking on the retail rental market, no one accepts the HCV Program. So on Jan 31, 2020 at 4PM I will become homeless. The cost of moving into storage and out of storage and the deposit and my portion of the first month rent will put me in debt. I had a blowout on the way to a doctor's appointment and while I could get the spare out of the trunk I could no longer change the tire. I passed out on the front seat of the car and a kind woman stopped to help and found me. This made me realize that my desire to move out wade my physical ability to move. So I am here asking for help. If you think this was a long story you should hear the long version. If you agree this is wrong on multiple levels please sign my petition. Or better yet call (808) 241-4440 and ask to speak with Steven Franco and express the fact that management broke the house rules when getting a lawyer to serve a 45 day notice. When I was a kid this was called cheating, but she is also a habitual liar. This is why she hates me because I call her out. I'm not the only one here. According to the chair of Health and Human Services for the County she has had at least 4 complaints against her. She evicts people because their kids are out playing without supervision and making too much noise.17 of 100 SignaturesCreated by David LaBarre
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To finally remove the rule of uniform in Springfield public schoolsI feel like this is very important to the whole community. Wearing uniforms makes us feel plan and also very uncomfortable. Like for example in central, when we walk around with hoodies were hounded for them to get taken off. But if you don’t take it off that exact minute the admin will confiscate it. But see if we didn’t have to worry about uniform policy’s we wouldn’t have to worry about teacher calling admin to have student remove hoodies, Or students be given unreasonable consequences82 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Gavin Garay
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PASS MONA NOW Missouri Nondiscrimination ActThis is a very important issue to me. I'm very concerned for myself being LGBT and my brothers and sisters in this state that we shouldn't be discriminated against just because of who we love15 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Marcello Umbertone
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Steve Shurtleff: Stand up For the Women of the NH LegislatureMany of us have watched while on the state and the national stage public discourse has devolved into very public attacks against any individuals who cross Trump's path or oppose him or his followers. The state of New Hampshire has a sad history of harassment, especially from the right and within the walls of the state legislature. The current national climate has only given license to those parties who engage in harassing women, people of color and others who do not fit the "conservative" social narrative. We have noticed in particular, in the state house, a particular vitriol reserved for women members of the state legislature. From the current harassment and belittlement (calling her princess, telling her she is stupid, weak, receiving death threats, harassment directed at her being a woman, etc.) of Debra Stevens, to the the constant harassment and demands for censure of Representative Sherry Frost (Strafford, 18) that have occurred during her terms. The type of vicious harassment that women experience resembles the type of harassment many women experienced thirty years ago when they entered non-traditional employment. Today, nearly every place of employment has a sexual harassment policy in place. Today, nearly all workers and professionals everywhere have no problem working with women as colleagues and professional partners. The number of women in the state legislature has increased profoundly this past session, reflecting the increased participation across the board of women in public life. Yet only this session was a sexual harassment policy finally put in place; after solid repeated resistance when the House was GOP controlled. Those same members who voted against a sexual harassment policy now not only associate with those who regularly harass female members of the house, but these same members make a plea to Steve Shurtleff, claiming they feel harassed and misrepresented when a member shares her a story about the behavior of anti-gun control activists. They make this plea after they all deliberately assembled on Representative Steven's Facebook political page with the sole purpose of harassing her. They make this plea after the first vote of the Democratic controlled house which banned handguns on the state house floor caused a few state representatives to call a press conference claiming that they feel unsafe at the state house without a gun by their side. Yet they have had no problem associating with those who issue death threats, harass, cajole, bully and abuse their opponents, in particular women. Women who do not carry guns anywhere and yet have plenty of reason to feel unsafe everyday; just for their duty as state representatives and representing the issues the way the majority of their constituents who sent them there wish them to do. We feel that speaking up to these bullies is important and Steven Shurtleff showing leadership on this issue is absolutely essential. No state legislator or American citizen should ever feel their life might be in danger or their dignity or social good standing be jeopardized, simply for having a certain point of view. In particular, we ask that Speaker Shurtleff speak specifically as well to the harassment that the women on the Democratic side of the aisle have received for speaking their minds.167 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Kathryn Talbert
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Fair Impeachment TrialThis action is important because in recent weeks, the majority party in the senate including its leadership, Senator McConnell, have stated and implied they do not intend to honor their required oath of impartiality. This trial is the only recourse that the citizens of the United States have in an effort to determine if a president of the United States has committed high crimes or misdemeanors worthy of removal from office. This is not a political sideshow; rather it is a basic expression of our democratic power and will as citizens of the United States. It must not become a mockery of justice or our Constitution.19 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Max Soucia
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Prison Reform: Taking Action Against Mass Incarceration, Inadequate Prison Reform, and Abusive Gu...Help three Bellingham High School juniors raise awareness and bring about a change in the ineffective and unethical American prison system.79 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Cody Trinkaus
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Park Ridge Police Department Age DiscriminationMost people I know from the Park Ridge area, including myself, have been pulled over in Park Ridge at least once for various reasons. As 20-year-olds, my friends and I can say without hesitation that the Park Ridge police department looks for younger drivers on the road and will pull them over and know that they can write them up and give them a hard time. It’s rare to drive through Park Ridge Town without seeing flashing lights and someone pulled over and it’s time that the police start to serve and protect its citizens instead of targeting them.38 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Robert Callaghan
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End The Epidemic of Missing Black Women and GirlsTo glean more serious law enforcement investigations and more attention from the national media to end the disappearances and recover these missing women and girls.118 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Theresa Beverly
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Safety for the 17th Chicago Police DistrictOver the last few months, we've seen a worrying increase in the amount of violent crime in Albany Park, Avondale, Irving Park and other communities. This petition is supported by the following community leaders, and organizations: - Jaime Andrade, 40th District State Representative - Avondale Triangle Community Group - Horner Park Neighbors - TRIP - The Residents of Irving Park This list will be updated as more people sign-on. For more information please visit us at Facebook.com/SafetyFor171,886 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by Rep. Jaime Andrade
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Fire Stephen MillerA new expose of over 900 emails sent by Stephen Miller to Breitbart news confirm what we’ve known for years: he’s a white nationalist. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported on hundreds of emails Miller sent to Breitbart (provided by a former Breitbart employee), emails that tout eugenics, include links to whit nationalist sites, and sent them tips on anti-immigrant and anti-Black stories to run. A white nationalist has no place dictating immigration policy in the White House.4,947 of 5,000 SignaturesCreated by Alexis Goldstein
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Chyna Tameka Briscoe-Gray vs Unregistered Sex OffendersUnfortunately I come from a long line of family members being sexually abused and the abuse being swept under the rug while the abuser is allowed to roam the streets free. Because of the negligence of both my parents my sisters future is in jeopardy. All of my siblings and I have been sexually abused and/or exposed by different individuals and neither of our parents have made the adequate decisions to properly protect us. The objective of this petition is to pass legislation that any person that has been complicit in any minors sexual abuse should be held at the same level of accountability as the actual perpetrator of the abuse.50 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Unique Briscoe
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Atatiana Jefferson deserves justice NOWBlack people cannot go a single day without having to bear the pain of knowing we are not safe even in the comfort of our own homes in this country. Another white police officer in Texas has killed a Black person doing nothing but relaxing in their own home, only a couple weeks after the sentencing of Amber Guyger. Atatiana Jefferson, a 28-year-old pre-med student, was at home playing video games with her nephew when police were dispatched to her home after a neighbor noticed her doors were open late at night. He wanted someone to check and make sure she was okay. Instead of making a quick safety check, the police arrived, saw Atatiana moving inside her own home and the officer, who did not self-identify as an officer, yelled "put your hands up" from outside and shot into her window within seconds. He gave Atatiana no time to comply, and no warning. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Within 24 hours, the mayor released body-cam footage of the incident and said the officer was being placed on administrative leave. But that's not nearly enough. Every single time police kill Black people with impunity, they are given time to alter their story, time to villainize the victim, time to figure out how they will escape accountability this time. And we've had enough. Atatiana Jefferson deserves justice NOW. This police officer shouldn't get to remain anonymous and they shouldn't get to stay on the payroll while Atatiana's family has to reckon with the fact that their aunt, sister, and daughter is gone and never coming back. We know we can't rely on the police to investigate themselves nor can we rely on the corrupt district attorney in Tarrant County. DA Sharen Wilson has refused to prosecute killer cops before--most recently in the killing of O'Shae Terry. And she's the same district attorney who prosecuted Crystal Mason, a Black woman who was criminally charged for voting in the election. Sign the petition and help us demand justice for Atatiana. We're calling for: -The officer's identity be revealed and that they are fired immediately. -An independent criminal investigation and the appointment of a special prosecutor. We can't rely on the police to investigate themselves. And we can't rely on Tarrant County DA to deliver justice in this case.36 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Pulin Modi