A Sacramento nonprofit evicted a pregnant homeless woman. Now she’s suing the landlord
A Sacramento homeless advocacy group filed a lawsuit Friday alleging a nonprofit housing organization illegally a evicted a pregnant woman from a home in North Highlands earlier this month.
The lawsuit, filed by the Sacramento Homeless Union in Sacramento Superior Court, claims Sacramento Self Help Housing evicted Jessica Gilbert partly for spending too much time in the bathroom.
Gilbert is seven months pregnant and the advocacy group contends her eviction violates a state law that prohibits pregnancy discrimination. The group is suing is suing Sacramento Self Help Housing and Sacramento County’s Department of Human Assistance as defendants.
Cynthia Lawrence, an attorney representing Sacramento Self Help Housing, in a written statement said the nonprofit contests the homeless advocacy group’s claims.
“The safety of our clients and staff is paramount to our mission. To ensure this goal, clients agree to program rules as well as procedures for separation of services. While it is the practice of SSHH to not comment on pending litigation, SSHH is eager to address and correct the falsities set forth by the Sacramento Homeless Union and Jessica Gilbert, she wrote.
The county declined a request for comment because it does not comment on pending litigation, county spokeswoman Kim Nava said.
The nonprofit earlier this month gave Gilbert, 30, an eviction notice for violating program rules. It claimed she left the back and front doors unlocked after hours, and let her cat out without a leash.
“Also, reported clients taking others’ food and still spending a long time in the bathroom,” the notice read. “YOU WILL NOW BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SHELTER NEEDS.”
Previous notices also alleged Gilbert had violated house rules against “cooking and using the dryer after midnight.”
After Gilbert did not leave, on Nov. 4, she was “physically exited under threat of police action,” the lawsuit alleged.
The county in a text message approved the decision to evict Gilbert, the lawsuit alleged.
Anthony Prince, attorney for the homeless union, sent a letter to the landlord Thursday. The house group evicted Gilbert anyway on Friday.
Gilbert, who is due in January, is now residing in a hotel paid for by the union, but she will not be able to stay much longer, the lawsuit said. After she leaves the hotel, she plans to go back to a tent on a midtown sidewalk, where she lived previously, she said.
The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction requiring the nonprofit to place Gilbert back in the house. It also seeks a determination deeming the landlord’s “immediate exit policy” to be unconstitutional.
The Sacramento Self Help Housing has placed Gilbert in several houses since September, including residences in Citrus Heights, Elk Grove and Sacramento. She has moved four times since September, the lawsuit said.
She had roommates at the North Highlands house, some of whom were formerly homeless.
The nonprofit, which places homeless people into housing, often works with the city, county and Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.
The city is currently paying the nonprofit at least $245,000 for services,according to contracts The Sacramento Bee obtained from a California Public Records request. The nonprofit has an active city contract to help run a renters hotline to inform tenants of their rights when facing evictions and rent increases. It also has an active city contract for housing navigation services.
This story was updated at 2:25 p.m. on Nov. 23 to include a statement from an attorney for Sacramento Self Help Housing.
This story was originally published November 18, 2022 at 2:16 PM.
