2009 - 2010 ANNUAL REPORT:

THE HOUSING ADVOCATES, INC.

Celebrating The Past And Building Our Future

The Housing Advocates Inc. (HAI) was established in 1975 and has as its mission to promote equal housing opportunities, tenant rights, and affordable housing. HAI has a long tradition of utilizing education and outreach, housing counseling and collaborative partnerships in addition to litigation, to fulfill its mission of housing justice.

Education and community outreach are integral parts of the work of HAI. Over the years, HAI has published a number of brochures educating the public about fair housing laws and predatory lending. Staff members also conduct workshops, host discussions, and speak at public meetings regarding fair housing issues. Through HAI’s continued efforts the general public, real estate and rental management professionals, loan officers, insurance agents, homeowners insurance underwriters, and lawyers have been educated to rights and duties under the fair housing laws.

For more information, please visit our website at: http://www.housingadvocatesinc.com/

Ed Kramer Director & Chief Counsel

MISSION STATEMENT

A legal system in which only the politically powerful and wealthy can afford legal representation is not only inherently unfair, but justice will be better served, if all persons are represented.

THE HOUSING ADVOCATES, INC. (HAI) was organized in June 1975 to offer minorities, disabled and the poor an opportunity for housing justice. In the ensuing 35 years the organization has emerged as a full-service non-profit tax exempt public interest law firm, consumer and fair housing organization with a multiplicity of projects.

HISTORY

The Housing Advocates, Inc., (HAI) has a 35 year history of fighting for fair and affordable housing. Housing Advocates, Inc. (HAI) was established in 1975. Its mission is the promotion of equal housing opportunities, tenant rights, and affordable housing. Litigation is one of the primary tools used by the organization to bring about the realization of fair housing rights for all individuals. In addition to litigation, the organization engages in education, outreach, research, and collaborative-building projects to ensure that fair and affordable housing is promoted. HAI, however, has always stood out from its peer organizations in that it possesses a unique tool in its arsenal to fight discrimination: the power of litigation. With a staff of attorneys experienced in litigating civil rights issues, HAI stands poised to defend the human and civil rights of individuals that seek housing justice.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was one of the last great pieces of civil rights legislation enacted; it was expeditiously passed by both houses of Congress after the death of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. In its first form, the protected classes of race, color, religion and national origin were recognized. The class of sex was added in 1974. Much later, in 1988, the other protected classes of familial status and handicap were added. At this time, the Act also underwent other changes. The enforcement mechanism was strengthened, making it more attractive for private citizens to enforce their fair housing rights.

The Federal Fair Housing Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sections 3601, et seq.), has a broad, all-encompassing public policy statement in its preamble, and reads as follows: "It is the policy of the United States to provide, within constitutional limitations, for fair housing throughout the United States." The Act is like other civil right statutes provides for the award of attorneys fees and costs to the prevailing plaintiff. 42 U.S.C. Section 3613(d)(2). The act was designed to encourage the furtherance of fair housing through the enforcement actions of individual victims of discrimination who would act as private attorneys general in their request to seek justice for aggrieved parties. In Trafficante v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company 93 S.Ct. 364 (1972), the Court discussed the importance of private litigation in promoting the policy of fair housing throughout the land: "The main generating force must be private suits in which, the Solicitor General says, the complainants act not only on their own behalf but also 'as private attorneys general' in vindicating a policy that Congress considered to be of the highest priority." Id. at 367. This rationale, coupled with the provision for the allowance of the award of attorney's fees, is one such way that the Act encourages the promotion of human and civil rights through the utilization of the Fair Housing Act.

It is important to note that the birth of the Fair Housing Act was directly tied to the eradication of the vestiges of slavery and the recognition that every individual has the right to be free from unconstitutional restraints in the alienation of property. Jones v. Mayer, 88 S.Ct. 2186 (1968). This seminal fair housing case, while decided in 1968, did not directly involve the Fair Housing Act of 1968, but rather the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which was passed to ensure the efficacy of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Jones at 2199-2200. The case points out that while both acts address racial housing discrimination, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 involved a complicated statutory schemes but in no way diminished the effects of the Act of 1866. It is clear that the evolvement of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 is inextricably intertwined with this nation's history of slavery, abolition, and the freedom and civil rights movement. While the Thirteenth amendment marked the beginning of governmental intervention in racial discrimination faced by African-Americans, ensuing legislation, including the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1968, all were enacted and enforced with the obvious nod to their constitutional origins. In this manner, the work of HAI in bringing litigation under these laws (and similar state laws) promotes human and civil rights secured by the U.S. Constitution.

The State of Ohio's fair housing laws are enforced by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, an administrative agency. In addition to enforcing fair housing laws, the OCRC also enforces employment discrimination, public accommodations, and credit statutes. The common denominator for all of these various statutes is that they involve the redress of discriminatory acts. HAI has also litigated cases in this forum as another avenue of bringing housing justice to the individual while simultaneously bringing about systemic change through the changed behavior and attitudes of respondent housing providers.

HAI has in the past and currently represents both individual plaintiffs as well as organizational plaintiffs. Most of HAI's individual clients are low to moderate individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford legal representation in the pursuit of their claim. Other individual clients are referred to us by other attorneys, inexperienced in litigating civil rights cases. While some of these referred clients may not necessarily be low-moderate income, they still may fall into the category of being unable to find legal counsel. For these individuals (those that are above the low-moderate income guidelines), HAI may ask that some costs be paid, but in no instance do individual clients pay for attorney time. Absent the availability of representation by HAI attorneys, most of these victims of discrimination would be unable to assert their rights.

With respect to organizational plaintiffs, HAI has a sterling reputation in the community for representing local fair housing organizations in litigation they choose to pursue to further its fair housing mission. In those scenarios, HAI protects the right of an organization to be made whole for its frustration of mission by the tort-feasor and the diversion of resources as a consequence of the violation of the fair housing law. Oftentimes these fair housing organizations are membership organizations; litigating the case in court or in an administrative forum on behalf of the membership may be the only way to seek justice for the violations of the Act and to ensure that future homeseekers, including its membership, are not injured. Securing relief such as monetary damages to replace diverted resources - for such organizations - enables them to continue to combat discrimination in the areas they serve. Thus, HAI's litigation directly serves the community in which the organizations it represents operate. Through the representation of both individuals and organizations, HAI strives to promote human and civil rights by using all tools at its disposal, including litigation, to further fair and affordable housing. The right to be free from housing discrimination should be a basic entitlement for all Americans; however, that goal has is not yet been realized. Though the Fair Housing Act has been in effect some 37 years, housing discrimination is still all too common, especially in Greater Cleveland, one of the most segregated areas in the nation. Therefore, HAI must continue its advocacy efforts through the courts and administrative agencies to promote equal housing for all.

These individuals and organizations come to HAI to seek resolution to their individual problem; but more often than not, the defendants in these kinds of cases have never been confronted with a fair housing lawsuit; they believe that they are exercising their rights to do what they want with their property whereas in reality they are trampling upon the civil rights of an aggrieved party. By taking on the case of the wronged individual or group, HAI attorneys send a wake-up call to defendants that this type of discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated. By opening up the door for one individual, HAI attorneys through strategic litigation and carefully worded settlement agreements in effect open up the door to all that would otherwise be denied entry.

ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2009 we celebrate the second year of our new Save Our Homes from Foreclosure (SOHF) foreclosure Counseling project. This is thanks to receiving monies from a grant awarded by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) and corporate contributions from Chase J.P.Morgan Bank, Westfield Insurance Foundation, Charter One, FifthThird Bank, Dollar Bank and U.S. Bank. The grant to support OHFA’s foreclosure counseling intervention efforts was provided by funds from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program approved by Congress in the FY08and 09 Consolidated Appropriations Bills, the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program is administered through a competitive application process by NeighborWorks’ America, within guidelines defined by Congressional legislation.

NeighborWorks’ America is an independent, Congressionally-chartered non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to provide access to sustainable homeownership and safe, affordable rental housing. The housing counseling activity saved homeowners over $2,430,000 through refinancing and loan modifications of predatory mortgages. More importantly, over thirty families were saved from becoming homeless. In 2010 our grants will be over $400,000. The exact amount is not known since it is based on the number of families we assist under the grant.

The City of Cleveland in 2008 renewed for the seventh year the Home Owner Assistance Program(HOAP). Members of the City Council Community and Economic Development committee during a hearing on renewing the contract praised The Housing Advocates, Inc for its work to prevent foreclosures and save affordable housing through our HOAP and HELP programs. HOAP has assisted 1,243 households, performed 169 educational outreach programs; educated 3,082 Cleveland residents and recovered $974,660.36 for Cleveland City Residents. The City allocated $260,000 again to support the HOAP-HELP program in 2008. The Housing Advocates, Inc. Is exploring to create Fair Mortgage Inc., a nonprofit Mortgage and Community Development Bank since the financial and housing environment has changed so much in the Cleveland area.

We had 12 full time internships at HAI in 2008 and 2009. Sara Bailey returned to us from Davidson College. Sara speaks Spanish fluently and rewrote several of our existing brochures in Spanish. She is also worked as a tester and assisted Joanne Wu in writing several new grant proposals. We had two interns from CWRU Law School Shelia Fell and Mason Binkley. Nicole LeClair had a public interest law internship from Duke University Law School to work with our organization in 2008. Finally, we also had Matthew Henry who is a paralegal intern from Academy Reporting. In addition, our Fair Housing Law Clinic had 25 students from CSU, Cleveland-Marshall Law School. As you can see we were busy fighting for the good last year, but luckily we had literally an army of students assisting us.

The organization was asked to testify at the Congressional field hearing of the Financial Services Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee by our late friend Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones. The hearing was to address the growing problem of subprime lending and foreclosures in Ohio. The Housing Advocates, Inc also testified at the Ohio Advisory Committee of the US Civil Rights Commission on the State of Fair Housing in Ohio. In addition, Ed Kramer was asked to speaker at the National Convention of the NAACP.

LIST OF PROGRAMS

FAIR HOUSING LAW CLINIC:

The Housing Law Clinic was established in January, 1990, as a joint venture between HAI and the Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University. Under this program, second and third year law students assist clients from Cuyahoga County, under the supervision of HAI attorneys, thereby gaining valuable clinical experience while helping to promote HAI's mission.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TAP):

HAI has developed special projects to assist local governments and members of the housing, lending and insurance industries meet their civil rights obligations. HAI has prepared training programs in fair housing and equal employment opportunity for local governments, real estate and rental management professionals, insurance agents, community organizations and civic groups.

Organizations which have benefited from TAP services include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Ohio Department of Development, and the cities of Akron, Cleveland, East Liverpool, Elyria, Kent, Lorain, Oberlin, Wooster and Zanesville. Presently Cuyahoga County is receiving TAP services through a contract with HAI. The following list illustrates the broad range of TAP services provided by HAI on a contractual or consultant basis:

1. Study of Local Needs: Analysis of local community needs and options for meeting fair housing responsibilities under the Community Development Block Grant Program.

2. Drafting of Fair Housing Ordinances:  Drafting by the legal staff of HAI of fair housing laws that meet HUD standards.

3. Seminars and Training:  Development of programs based on locally determined goals and objectives. The programs may focus on specific problems or create comprehensive strategies to satisfy fair housing and equal opportunity obligations.

4. Discrimination Complaint Service:  Individuals who feel they have been a victim of housing discrimination are able to call the Discrimination Complaint Line at 216-391-5444 ext. 100. HAI has trained counselors, and staff attorneys that are able to receive complaints and conduct appropriate investigations.

5. Training Programs in Fair Housing:  Specially designed training sessions that meet the needs of Fair Housing Board Members, Community Development Staff or Volunteer Checkers or Auditors.

6. Community Seminars:  Seminars outlining the responsibilities of the real estate industry, financial institutions and the legal community regarding fair housing and community reinvestment.

HAI has also developed a Land Use Disability Enforcement TAP project for Cuyahoga and Geauga County. In this Land Use Project HAI determined whether certain communities in both Cuyahoga and Geauga counties have land use regulations or ordinances that may inhibit the development, construction, or establishment of group homes for persons with mental disabilities. The purpose of this project is to increase rental opportunities for low and moderate income persons; for minorities; and persons with disabilities. This project helped to educate and counsel individuals on restrictive land use ordinances so that barriers may be lifted, resulting in more affordable housing for the disabled population.

SAVE OUR HOMES from FORECLOSURE PROGRAM (SOHF):

HAI has had the privilege of administering the homeowner assistance program for the last eight years. SOHF provides assistance to Cuyahoga County residents to prevent predatory lending activities and other consumer fraud problems through education, negotiation and litigation. Through its housing counseling programs, HAI has assisted several thousand Cleveland and Countyresidents in reviewing their loan documents, and providing outreach and education programs. As a result, HAI has a unique understanding of predatory practices by financial institutions, mortgage brokers, appraisers, and home improvement contractors.

THE HOUSING ADVOCATES, INC. HAI-HELP ELIMINATE LOANS THAT ARE PREDATORY (HELP) MORTGAGE FUND:

The HAI-HELP Eliminate Loans that are Predatory (HELP) mortgage program provides an alternative financing option for predatory loan victims program. The HAI-HELP program launched in September 2005. HAI has partnered with Fannie Mae and four local financial institutions to provide educational resources, counseling, and a rescue fund to help victims of predatory loans in the City of Cleveland. If approved by HAI's HELP loan manager, HELP staff will be able to take Clients to a multi-bank loan committee which can refinance these predatory loans. Refinancing is possible because Fannie Mae is providing up to $5 million for purchase on the secondary market of refinanced loans without meeting many of the normal requirements, such as, credit scores and loan to debt ratios.

DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT SERVICE (DCS):

Since 1976, HAI has operated the Housing Discrimination Complaint Service (DCS), a telephone discrimination complaint intake service for residents and potential residents of Cuyahoga County. The DCS is an integral part of the work performed by the staff and Clinic students at HAI, and generates a majority of the legal work of the staff attorneys. Cuyahoga County Commissioners and the US Department of Housing & Urban Development funds HAI to investigate claims of illegal housing discrimination, represents claimants in litigation and/or administrative enforcement action, conduct tests to determine compliance with federal, state and local fair housing laws.

Emergency Mortgage (Rental, Utility, & Tax) Assistance Program (EMAP):

Beginning in April 2007, HAI has provided Emergency Mortgage, Rental, Utility and Tax Assistance to help families in the City of Cleveland. The Ohio Department of Development is funding HAI $470,000 for two years to administer this program. The Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (EMAP) is a loss mitigation program that will provide an emergency fund to households that are in imminent danger of losing their homes due to foreclosure or predatory lending. Eligibility for emergency help under this program is limited to City of Cleveland residents.

Households that are provided emergency mortgage assistance must be at or below 50 percent of area median income (AMI) and must be receiving financial counseling. The maximum length of emergency mortgage assistance is three months, for a maximum of $2,500. Households provided utility, tax or rent assistance must be at or below 35 percent of AMI at time of entry into the program. The maximum length of emergency utility, tax or rent assistance is also three months, for a maximum of $1,000. EMAP emergency assistance funds will also provide HAI staff the leverage to negotiate forbearance agreements and/or loan modifications for predatory loan and foreclosure victims in Cleveland. Forbearance Agreements will allow HAI staff to negotiate with the holder of the loan to forbear on foreclosure.

County Foreclosure Prevention Program:

Since February 2006, HAI has been a counseling partner of the Cuyahoga County Foreclosure Prevention Project. In this program, HAI is providing foreclosure defense to borrowers who have accessed the First Call For Help United Way 2-1-1 Help Line and have not been able to enter into a workout agreement with their lender. United Way’s 2-1-1 First Call For Help is an essential piece of the Foreclosure Prevention Program. Any borrower who has their primary residence is in Cuyahoga County, who wants to stay in their home and who has the means to maintain a payment plan for their loan is eligible to receive counseling and advice through the Foreclosure Prevention Program. These borrowers are asked to call 2-1-1 to be referred to the appropriate agency, including the Housing Advocates, Inc. HAI has one attorney that is staffed by the County Foreclosure Prevention Program. On average this attorney counsels six (6) individuals a month in foreclosure defense. For more information on the County Foreclosure Prevention Program please visit http://www.dontborrowtroublecc.org/partners.htm.

Linguistic Profiling African Immigrant Housing Enforcement Project:

The African Immigrant Housing Enforcement Project features a unique testing methodology designed to determine whether linguistic profiling is occurring throughout the greater Cleveland area. While this is targeted at immigrant housing discrimination, the development of the linguistic racial profiling testing protocol and forms will improve the enforcement of the fair housing laws for all protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, 42 USC Sections 3601 et seq. Through this project HAI will increase homeownership and rental opportunities for low and moderate income persons; for minorities; and persons with limited English proficiency.

This project will help to uncover those attitudes that may prevent an African from finding housing through investigation of complaints, sales and phone testing, and the pursuit of meritorious charges. This project will promote decent rental housing for this population by responding to complaints in the community concerning general lack of housing, problems in getting landlords to abide by the Ohio landlord/tenant code, and limitations on housing choice. Through educational programs, materials, and counseling services, HAI will educate tenants, potential tenants and landlords in Cuyahoga County about this type of linguistic discrimination and the legal consequences.

LEAD PAINT POSIONING LAW PROJECT:

Prior to 1950, most houses were painted with lead-based paint. About two-thirds of homes built before 1940 and about half built from 1940 to 1960 contain heavily leaded paint. There is evidence that the Lead Industry Association and paint manufacturers knew of risks of lead to children since 1933, but continued making lead-based paint until forbidden in 1978. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control ("CDC") and the American Academy of Pediatrics have both described lead poisoning as the number one environmental problem facing American children.

The vast majority of victims are poor minorities live in older housing. Black children are more than twice as likely to be poisoned as white children. The City of Cleveland ranks fourth in the nation among large metropolitan areas in the percentage of children with blood lead levels sufficient to cause permanent injuries. Damage from lead poisoning is permanent and irreversible. The New England Journal of Medicine has reported that a child exposed to low levels of lead during childhood is seven times more likely to drop out of high school and six times more likely to have a significant reading disability. At higher levels of exposure, lead can cause kidney damage, impaired reproductive function, anemia, high blood pressure, coma and, potentially, death. As a response to this serious problem in the community HAI has developed a project to educate and litigate cases in involving lead poisoning. The project has prepared a detailed "Working Paper: Legal Aspects of Lead Poisoning which reviews scientific evidence of damage caused by lead to the human body and reviews legal theories to bring a lawsuit. As a housing counseling agent, HAI will continue to educate and counsel individuals on lead poisoning.

LATINO HOUSING ENFORCMENT PROJECTS:

In 1996, HAI conducted an enforcement project to examine whether discrimination was occurring in Cuyahoga County's Latino community in the areas of homeowners insurance and mortgage lending. This multi-faceted project brought together several different community-based organizations that partnered with HAI to reach out to underrepresented citizens to ensure the full benefit of the Fair Housing Act. As a result of the massive testing that occurred, HAI filed several administrative charges against various insurance providers and agents, and banks. As a result of some of these settlements, HAI managed to institute many changes that positively affected the way these industries conducted business with Spanish-speaking customers and those residing in certain urban neighborhoods. Furthermore, in June 2003, HAI conducted an anti-predatory lending project designed to educate and provide counseling services on predatory lending and consumer laws to the Spanish-speaking population in Cuyahoga County, religious institutions, consumer and bankruptcy attorneys, and law enforcement officials.

Staff and Office Hours

The staff, volunteers, and Board of Trustees of The Housing Advocates, Inc. are lawyers, paralegals, law professors, businesspeople and law clinic interns. The Administrative offices at 3214 Prospect Avenue is usually open from 9:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The program Offices at 3655 Prospect Avenue is usually open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The newest location is our Columbus Office located at 3021 E. Dublin Granville Road Suite 101, Columbus, Ohio 43231-4031. This office is open by appointment only which can be made by calling (614) 519-1702 . Attorneys are often at the office in the early evenings and on weekends. If you need to meet with a staff member of the organization contact them directly or check with Madeline Adomines, our Office Manager and Legal Secretary at 216-431-7400. If you need to meet over a weekend or in the evening, make arrangements with your Staff Attorney.

Edward Kramer, Director/Chief Counsel

Mr. Kramer obtained his BS from Kent State University and JD from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He is the co-founder and director of The Housing Advocates, Inc. a not-for-profit fair housing organization operating in Cleveland, Ohio for over thirty-four years. Mr. Kramer is also a member of both the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and Southern District of Ohio bars, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits and the United States Supreme Court. He has argued more than fifty cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals and appeared in two U.S. Supreme Court cases during his over thirty-three years of practice. Mr. Kramer is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and is Director of the Fair Housing Law Clinic, a clinical program run in cooperation with Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where students represent clients in fair housing matters under attorney supervision. He is the author of over forty articles and publications on housing, landlord-tenant, real estate law and civil rights. He has written three articles relating to civil rights published by West Publishing Company: Cause for Action Based on Statutory Claims in Connection with Predatory Home Mortgage Loans, West Publishing Cause of Actions 2nd Ed. (July 2009); Litigating an Employment Discrimination Class Action, West Publishing Company, Vol 97 American Jurisprudence Proof of Facts 3d Ed. (August 2007) and Cause for Action for Handicapped Discrimination in Housing under the Federal Fair Housing Act and Related Federal Statute, West Publishing Company Cause of Actions 2nd Ed. (June 2003).

Mr. Kramer actively litigates fair housing and lending cases, as well as consults on fair housing cases throughout the country. He is the former Chair of the Civil Rights Section and Co-Chair of the Fair Housing Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice. He is also on the Board of Advisors, Fair Housing Coach, Brownstone Publications and the Advisory Council, Fair Housing Legal Support Center at the John Marshall College of Law, Chicago, Ill. Mr. Kramer has received many awards and recognition for his professional and community service including: the Leonard Wineglass Defense of Civil Liberties Award from the American Association for Justice, Diplomat of Trail Advocacy, National College of Advocacy, Ohio Fair Housing Congress, Award of Thirty Years Dedicated Service, Fair Housing Pioneer Award presented by Cuyahoga County Commissioners. He has been listed in Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in American Law.

David Oakley - Assistant Director & Senior Staff Attorney

David is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University Law School. David passed the Ohio bar in 1997, and is admitted to practice in Ohio, the Northern District of Ohio, and the Sixth Circuit. David is the Senior Staff Attorney and has been working with the The Housing Advocates, Inc. since 1997. He has assisted in a variety of cases, including representing fourteen named plaintiffs who had been sold poorly rehabilitated homes and an ongoing case involving predatory lending.

Kenneth Kowalski, - General Counsel

Kenneth Kowalski is a Clinical Professor of Law at Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University, where he teaches in the Employment Law Clinic. Among Mr. Kowalski’s responsibilities are the supervision of law students in employment litigation and responsibility for conduct of the litigation.

The Clinic provides representation in virtually every type of employment problem, including discrimination. Mr. Kowalski also teaches the law school's courses on employment discrimination law and trial advocacy. Since 1982, Mr. Kowalski has been associated with the law firm now named Kramer & Associates in Cleveland, where he has been involved in both individual and class action employment discrimination and other civil rights litigation. He has also worked with The Housing Advocates Inc., a public interest law firm in Cleveland since 1982, first as a staff attorney, then as General Counsel. Prior to obtaining his law degree from the Ohio State University College of Law, Mr. Kowalski was an elementary school teacher for the Cleveland City School District. A former left fielder with the Cuyahoga Bombers, Mr. Kowalski now plays catch with his daughters and plays bocce ball on the lawn behind the law school.

Mary Jo Hanson - Staff Attorney

Ms. Hanson received her law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 2003, and received her Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Notre Dame College in 1998, majoring in English and Communication. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Ohio and is admitted to the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. During Law school, Ms. Hanson worked as a student intern at Housing Advocates, Inc. and was a member of the Cleveland Marshall Trial Team.

Ms. Hanson has represented clients through her private practice in the areas of real estate, landlord/tenant, fair housing, employment and discrimination issues, insurance issues, criminal matters, and business disputes prior to joining Housing Advocates, Inc. as a staff attorney.

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Hanson is an accomplished skater, and has been a coach/choreographer, for the last twenty years and served as a program and show director. She is married to Randy Hanson and has two children.

Gary Cook – Predatory Lending Program/Staff Attorney

Gary Cook is a staff attorney with the SOHF Program. Mr. Cook is a graduate of Wesleyan University and The Catholic University School of Law. Mr. Cook has extensive experience litigating cases in both Federal and State trial and appellate Courts. His litigation experience has emphasized representing individuals in cases related to consumer economic issues. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.

Michael Aten -Staff Attorney-Program Enforcement Coordinator

Mr. Aten is the Testing Coordinator and a new Staff Attorney for The Housing Advocates, Inc. He is a graduate of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he received a CALI Excellence for the Future Award and was twice named to the Dean's List. Michael has been working with HAI since January 2006 and has assisted in a variety of functions, including legal research and drafting, statutory analysis, and administering projects such as the Real Accessibility Now program. Additionally, Michael co-authored an article that will appear in a forthcoming edition of Thompson-West's Cause of Action series. Prior to his employment at HAI, Michael was a law student intern with the Fair Housing Clinic program run in cooperation with Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, assisting with fair housing cases involving equal housing opportunities, tenants’ rights, and affordable housing issues.

Malachy Nzekwe, African Immigrant Housing Coordinator

Mr. Nzekwe has a MBA: Business Administration, Alabama A&M Univ., Normal, AL, May 1997; a MS: Computer Science, Alabama A&M Univ., Normal, AL, December 1995; and a BS: Accounting, Alabama A&M Univ, Normal, AL, May 1988. He has been involved in a number of activities including leadership as Vice President of the Nigerian Community Inc.of Greater Cleveland (NCGC) [2003-04] and Chairperson of Nzuko Ndi Ibo of Northeast Ohio (NNINO) [2004-05].

Previous work history is from 1998-Present, Staff Accountant to Checker Bar Ice Cream, Inc., Cleveland, OH; 1994-1997, Assistant Residence Hall Director Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL; 1989-1993, Accountant to the African Continental Bank, Lagos, Nigeria and 1978-1982 Mathematics Teacher Nigerian People's High School, Lagos Nigeria.

Madeline Adomines - Office Manager / Legal Secretary

Madeline Adomines has been a legal secretary for over four decades and brings this experience to The Housing Advocates, Inc. She is a favorite with the Fair Housing Law Clinic law student interns and provides a calming influence to this always busy public interest law firm. However, it is her professional demeanor on the telephone that brings the most praise from clients and opposing counsel.

Shelley Krisko‑ Program Coordinator/Counselor

Mrs. Krisko has been with the Housing Advocates since March of 2006 and was an instrumental component in the success of the Help Eliminate Loans that are Predatory Program. She is currently working on the HAI‑HELP Mortgage Rescue Program, the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program and our new National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program. She is also a certified reverse mortgage counselor.

Mrs. Krisko has worked in the banking and mortgage industry for 10 years and has extensive knowledge in the areas of loan processing and escrow accounts.

Mrs. Krisko’s job responsibilities include; working extensively with applicants to insure they comply with program requirements, conducting counseling, creating action plans for customers, ordering necessary documentation in order to complete files including payoffs, payment histories and verifications, verifying and analyzing documentation, negotiating modifications and forbearance agreements with lenders and mortgage companies, assisting the applicant in filling out the necessary paperwork to modify their loan, preparing files for committee meetings, supervising the composition of files, making a preliminary decision on the qualification of customers in accordance with program guidelines, working with the Program Manager to amend program guidelines and requirements, and supervising and training part‑time employees. 

CONTACT US

Administrative Offices: 3214 Prospect Ave East, Cleveland, OH 44115, Tel: 216-431-7400, Fax: 216-431-6149

Program Offices: 3655 Prospect Ave.Cleveland, OH 44115, Tel: 216-432-9615, Fax: 216-391-5404

Mid Ohio Project Office: 3021 E. Dublin Granville Road Suite 101, Columbus, Ohio 43231-4031, Tel: (614) 519-1702

JOIN US TODAY

…the mothers who walked instead of taking the bus after a long day of doing somebody else's laundry and cleaning somebody else's kitchen -- they didn't brave fire hoses and Billy clubs so that their grandchildren and their great-grand children would still wonder at the beginning of the 21st century whether justice would be equal and opportunity would be theirs.... We have more work to do!

-- President Barack Obama, Speech at Howard University, September 28, 2007

I will support The Housing Advocates, Inc. by the following annual giving level:

___ Associate Member ($25.00)

___ Member ($50.00)

___ Stalwart ($100.00)

___ Government ($250.00)

___ Organization ($500.00)

___ Sustaining Member ($1000.00 or more)

___ Enclosed is my check payable to The Housing Advocates, Inc.

___ I will make a work place donation to the Community Shares in name of HAI

Member Information:

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Address ______________________________

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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

The Housing Advocates, Inc. is a not-for-profit, tax exempt corporation organized under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Your annual nonvoting membership fee is tax deductible. As a member, you will receive our newsletter, an attractive brass membership pin, and other information about events sponsored by HAI. You will also receive discounts to seminars and conferences hosted by the organization.

PLEASE MAIL THIS FORM TO: Membership Department, The Housing Advocates, Inc. 3214 Prospect Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115-261