Inexpensive Way to Talk with a Lawyer

[loftdweller]

Dear Neighbors,

the State Bar Association has a lawyer referral service that will provide you with the name/contact information of an attorney who will meet with you for 30 minutes for $20. www.michbar.org/programs/lawyerreferral.cfm

I called the service today and was able to talk over the phone with an attorney (for free) who told me:

1. Our landlord has to follow the legal procedure for evicting us. He will need to serve us with a Notice to Quit or a Demand for Possession and provide a clear timeframe for the eviction. She stated that the time frame is 30 days. Any challenges to the eviction process would be done through the 36th District Court. Their website has some basic information: www.36thdistrictcourt.org/realestate-faq.html#q10

2. The city will notify the landlord of their need to vacate the building, it is unlikely that they will contact individual tenants.

I attempted to contact the city today, but was not able to reach anyone via phone. Thanks to those of you who have shared what you have learned about the inspections and the city's plans.

With regards to Security Deposits, last night I read a lawyer's website that had a clear explanation of the legal issues in Michigan. Not that this information will make Boydell comply but at least we'll know something about what our rights are. www.sheltonlegal.net/html/tenants__rights_in_michigan.html This website also has some good information: www.michigantenants.org/resourcelib

I asked the attorney if I had any legal recourse because I had paid rent to live in a building that the landlord knew was not in compliance with city codes. She stated that the legal question would be around damages, i.e., what damages have been incurred because the building was not a legal residence.

I am all for an tenant meeting. I would prefer an evening meeting.

In Solidarity.

[somnombulator]

I spoke with Mr. Martin, Inspector Addison's supervisor again today. The city will not move forward with closing the building until after the comply-by date on the Correction Order, 8/19. They are still trying to figure out how to humanely displace 100+ occupants, but they will be posting on every door in the building a notice with a timeframe (the length of this timeframe is the discussion point for The City at the moment) for everyone to vacate around that date, presuming Boydell does not comply.

Note that he also said that one of the things Boydell must do to comply is to get everyone out before 8/19. I figure that is why they are offering incentives to move into their other properties. However, as Loftdweller here says, if we don't take their incentive, they must serve a Notice to Quit or Demand for Possession. This puts Boydell in a difficult situation, because since they collected our July rent, they missed their opportunity to serve us a 30-day notice.

If we could somehow get a landlord-tenant attorney present at the Sunday meeting, that might really help.