I just received a summons for nonpayment of rent in Ohio

(Request from Anita in Hudson, Ohio) I live in Hudson Ohio and have just received a court notice of summons for non payment of rent. we have lived here for 10 years and I became unemployed OCT of 2013. We are now $1300 behind in rent (one month). My husband is on social security and has COPD his prescriptions cost approx $800/month. He also has sleep apnea and has a cpap machine w/oxygen concentrator which is not working properly at this time.

I need help for moving expenses, finding a place to move to, and right now I am at the end of my rope. I do not know where to turn for this type of situation. I have applied for state assistance but the process is very slow. Thank you.

Dear Anita,

Normally our preference is to help tenants find the rental assistance they need in order to remain in their current homes. This can preserve familiar family settings so that you can focus more on increasing income and cutting other costs. It also avoids the extra costs associated with moving, plus the move-in cash requirements common to landlords who want at least the first month’s rent and security deposit paid prior to gaining access.

In this situation, your rent is close to the area median rental rate for a 3 bedroom apartment. This may be unaffordable for a household where one person is already on social security. You may have been able to get by up until now as you were working, but it is likely that you were already spending a higher percentage of household income on rent and housing costs than is normally recommended. Therefore, it is probably best that we skip the eviction prevention programs and focus more on the aid programs that can provide help with a rental security deposit in Hudson.

Help with Security Deposit in Hudson

Home Again offers a program that can assist with security deposits on your new rental property. As a part of Home Again’s Rapid Re-housing program, applicants could receive a cash payment towards a rental deposit if the agency believes that you would be homeless without it.

There are income requirements (minimum and maximum) that must be met to ensure that those who need the help most are provided aid. Additionally, Home Again wants to ensure that the aid will be sufficient to help you move, thereby allowing you to afford the ongoing rent payments on a permanent basis.

Home Again offers a similar Homeless Prevention program. Together, these case managers collaborate to make sure that you do not fall between the cracks and end up without a place to live. For more information about these programs, call Home Again at 330-615-0566. The Home Again rental assistance service is administered by Info Line, Inc.

Help with Landlord Summons

While Info Line helps you with gaining access to a more affordable rental home, you will still need to address the summons for legal action against you. There is no requirement that you go to court, but understand that you automatically lose if you do not show up. That is a pretty good reason to show up for court and provide a defense.

You will need to make sure that your landlord is not requesting more in damages than they are entitled. Outstanding rent is just one part of what they may ask for. Landlords often will tack on cleaning fees and repair costs, many of which may be unnecessary or unsubstantiated by receipts. By showing up, you can make sure that you are not held responsible for repaying amounts for which you are not responsible for. Additionally, you can make a case for a payment plan to repay it over a longer period of time. Otherwise, you risk the landlord requesting a wage garnishment of up to 25% of your disposable income (Ohio statutes).

Your reduced income may qualify you for pro bono legal help through Community Legal Aid. Call 1-800-998-9454 to request information about getting free legal advice.