After being hit with multiple eviction cases by the same landlord, a tenant living with HIV struggled to understand why his rental assistance kept being rejected. He eventually discovered that the landlord refused to accept funds simply because she disapproved of the organization providing the aid—and, more disturbingly, the people it served.

As his health declined and he was unable to work, the tenant tried repeatedly to find legal help, but no one was able to take his case on a full-scope basis. With a trial date just days away, he reached out to BASTA Universal (BU) in desperation.

Despite the tight timeline, BU took on the case—and the results were life-changing. The tenant not only had nearly a year’s worth of back rent waived, but he also received $25,000 in damages and three months to relocate.

Reflecting on the outcome, he shared: “I finally feel like I can breathe again. That dark cloud that’s been hanging over me is gone.”