Help Ms. Brenda Sheard establish her new home

After being unjustly evicted and living in a hotel for more than 9 months, Ms. Brenda Sheard -- a senior citizen living with a disability -- finally has the chance to be comfortable and stable in her new apartment. During this very distressing time, Ms. Sheard spoke out bravely against evictions, slumlords, and mismanagement of the CERA "hoteling" program, telling her story at city council meetings and to journalists. Your donation will help Ms. Sheard get on her feet -- she lost major items of furniture during her eviction and needs things like a bed, a dresser, and a kitchen table.

More on Ms. Sheard:

Ms. Brenda Sheard is a 72 year old Detroit tenant who was evicted two days before Christmas in 2021. Ms. Sheard never got the chance to go to court because her landlord, Yolanda Lockhart, tore down her mailbox and never served her a legal notice. Lockhart operated the property illegally -- Ms. Sheard lived with a dangerous porch, standing sewage, broken windows, and a leaking roof.

After her eviction, Ms. Sheard moved into a hotel paid for by the City of Detroit's COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program. All of her belongings she could not put into storage lived with her, crowding the space. The hotel had no kitchen. Several times her belongings were stolen. Not least, Ms. Sheard faced the threat of eviction throughout her stay at the hotel, being told that funds would run out and she would have to leave, even though she hadn't yet secured future housing. Several times she was forced to change rooms and move all of her belongings -- often with just an hour or two notice and no assistance. Ms. Sheard found it nearly impossible to get in touch with her caseworker at the United Community Housing Coalition who was supposed to help her find housing, adding even more to her stress. It was hard to find housing because of her eviction record. All together, Ms. Sheard spent a total of 9 months in a hotel while she searched for housing.

Even during her very distressing hotel stay after her eviction, Ms. Sheard found the energy and the bravery to speak out against evictions, slumlords, the mismanagement of the CERA "hoteling" program and the inadequate housing relocation services she received, and the desperate lack of safe and affordable housing in the city. She told her story at city council meetings and spoke to several journalists. Her fortitude helped bring the injustice of eviction to the forefront of policy discussions and gave a face to the housing crisis.

Ms. Sheard is finally housed at a senior apartment building in NE Detroit. But her disability income is too low to support her in getting the things she needs to be comfortable in her new home. If you are able, please support Ms. Sheard as she settles into this space.

We all deserve a safe, affordable, comfortable home!!