Anna is a single mom of three kids who called CARPLS when she received an eviction notice out of the blue. It turned out that her landlord was receiving her timely payments; however, the building was in foreclosure. CARPLS sent Anna to our Municipal Court Advice Desk where she successfully filed a motion to extend the eviction. As a result, she negotiated a new lease with her new landlord and was able to stay in her apartment.
In 2016, CARPLS attorneys consulted on 1,307 mortgage related cases, including 356 tenants affected by foreclosure. These are the types of cases that Craig Hanson (a Supervising Attorney since 2005 and a Staff
Attorney since 1999) handled with knowledge and great skill at CARPLS.
"I have always enjoyed working on behalf of people most in need, particularly in the area of housing law. One of the types of cases I find fulfilling involves helping tenants caught in the middle of mortgage foreclosure issues. Through no fault of their own, their landlord has fallen into foreclosure. It's gratifying to let them know that they have legal rights--whether it is giving them time to finish out their leases or entitling them to receive the funds they deserve to move," Craig reflects.
Craig is well respected for his expertise in housing law issues and for making a great difference in our community. A few years ago, Craig and several legal aid attorneys worked with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) to add CARPLS hotline number (312.738.9200) to the notices CHA sends to Section 8 tenants when CHA intends to terminate their assistance. These notices include the right to an "informal hearing," which is an important fact-finding hearing where the tenant and CHA present evidence.
"W
ithout an attorney, tenants are facing a system they are typically ill-equipped to address," notes Michelle Gilbert of LAF. Craig's efforts on these issues helped many deserving clients connect with the resources they needed.
In 2015, Craig helped to organize the
Section 8 Voucher Termination Legal Aid Panel, a consortium of legal aid attorneys from several organizations that assist Section 8 tenants in fighting termination. CARPLS assesses cases and through CARPLS Connect (a digital referral system) refers cases to be picked up by our collaborative partners. More than 200 clients have been assisted in this process.
"Time is of the essence for tenants who stand to lose their voucher, and connecting them as quickly as possible to the right direct representation help was key. Many of the cases are accepted by a panel attorney within a few minutes of the referral," states Pat Wrona, CARPLS Legal Director.
Craig's legal aid career also included working at LAF. He started at CARPLS as a volunteer when he had his own solo litigation practice focused on tenant rights and bankruptcy. Throughout his nearly two-decade career at CARPLS, Craig has made lasting contributions to our program, in particular his development of extensive legal content and advice on housing law for CARPLS' knowledge management system (proprietary legal diagnostic software).
"In my 18 years at CARPLS, I've been so impressed by the staff and volunteers who have a great deal of compassion for our clients. They really listen to and assist clients who otherwise may face a brick wall as the clients try to address their legal problem," Craig shares.
"Craig is the housing guru at CARPLS," says Legal Director Pat Wrona. "He has been a great source of outstanding legal scholarship and strategy for all the staff and volunteers at CARPLS. He leaves a legacy of that great work for us."
In retirement,
Craig plans to enjoy sunny California and to continue contributing to housing policy issues. We wish Craig all the best in his retirement!
