Ms. Abdi’s Story

"faith in the American legal system"

Ms. Abdi is a prominent elder in the Mankato Somali community. One day she received news that that her granddaughter, still living in Africa, had been kidnapped. She was left with no choice but to travel to Africa to negotiate for her return.

Facing this crisis, Ms. Abdi left her apartment for more than 21 days without approval from Section 8. As a result she lost her subsidy for rental housing, leaving her facing homelessness upon her return.

How Ms. Abdi came to SMRLS

Luckily, she was able to contact SMRLS for help. A SMRLS housing attorney accepted her case, represented Ms. Abdi in an informal hearing and succeeded in preserving her voucher.

Where she is today because of SMRLS

Ms. Abdi is deeply committed to serving her community. With her housing preserved, Ms. Abdi is able to remain focused on her work building and running community education programs.

What you can do to help

SMRLS housing law unit works to help individuals and families obtain and maintain safe and stable housing. With a gift to SMRLS, you can help prevent homelessness, keep families together, and strengthen communities.