This month, the Housing Justice Project recognizes Christine Jessup as the King County Bar Association’s Volunteer of the Month. Christine volunteers with both the Housing Justice Project (HJP) and Volunteer Legal Services (VLS). Christine has a long history of pro bono work, including helping low-income clients with parenting plans and securing dissolutions for survivors of domestic violence.
Christine’s concerns about homelessness led her to a rally she found out about in Real Change. At the rally, she heard about HJP, a homelessness prevention program that provides accessible, volunteer-based legal services to low-income tenants facing eviction in King County. Christine realized she could use her legal skills to help prevent homelessness in her community.
Christine is proud of the work she accomplishes at HJP. The tenants she works with inspire her. She enjoys talking to them about the law so they gain an understanding of their rights. Christine remembers a case where her client used a wheelchair, suffered severe disabilities and was a crime victim. The client’s partner also was disabled. The client and her partner faced imminent eviction and homelessness, but Christine secured an additional three months for the family to move.
HJP Coordinator Amanda Kale states, “Christine has been a stand-out volunteer since she first joined HJP last fall, absorbing every bit of training in landlord/tenant law available. She regularly offers to share her talents at HJP to cover for other volunteers, takes cases for full representation through VLS, and steps up for whatever is needed in cases that require a little more than HJP normally provides. Christine does all of this humbly with a bright smile on her face. It’s a pleasure to work with Christine.”
Christine recently volunteered to take a case up on revision, spending many hours writing, researching and learning the procedural rules involved. Christine is fearless and not afraid to take on challenging cases or clients.
Christine values working with the other volunteer attorneys to accomplish the shared purpose of preventing homelessness. She appreciates their commitment to access to justice and fairness. Concern about homelessness is what brought Christine to HJP and what keeps her volunteering.
She fears the disappearance of affordable housing in the area. She witnessed some tenants’ rents tripling in the last year. She worries that once someone becomes homeless, it is so hard to come back from that experience. She thinks prevention is the key.
Christine thanks HJP staff for their training and support in carrying out this worthwhile mission. HJP staff are grateful for Christine’s contribution to the cause. Congratulations Christine!
