Providing civil legal aid to veterans like Graham Decker* is a priority of Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA). Decker, an army veteran, called us when he received an eviction notice claiming that he had violated apartment rules. Decker, who finds loud noises upsetting, would often knock on his neighbors’ doors asking them to quiet down—a practice that the apartment manager did not approve of. The LASC housing team negotiated that the apartment complex would dismiss the eviction if Decker moved out. They then helped him find a new apartment where he was able to make a fresh start. “I was in panic mode there for a while, but my attorney worked it out,” he said.
We are thrilled to have our veterans-related services back to pre-pandemic levels. This is especially important because a disproportionate number of Ohio’s disabled veterans living in poverty reside within our service area, according to American Community Survey data. Of Ohio’s 88 counties, disabled veterans who are living in poverty make up more than 5% of the population in 10 counties—seven of those counties are in OSLSA’s Southeast Ohio service area.
Our robust engagement efforts include monthly clinics at the Chillicothe, Columbus, and Newark VA Centers.. This time of year, it also includes providing legal services and resources at the annual Stand Down events across our service area. In addition, we work with multiple organizations with Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs to provide training on legal issues and a user-friendly referral process for the veterans they serve.
A new federal grant has allowed us to expand our veterans’ advocacy to include providing legal services and outreach to veterans who are homeless and at-risk of homelessness. The funding supports representation across all our substantive areas, including housing, family law, income support, VA benefit claims and discharge upgrades. With this funding, we are hiring our first staff member who will work exclusively with veterans throughout our 36 counties, further bolstering our reach.
These crucial civil legal services provide low-income veterans with much needed assistance. And it’s a service we are honored to provide. We’re proud to assist veterans with their legal needs. To all of our veterans, thank you for your service.
*Name changed to protect client’s privacy.