Pickett v. Housing Authority of Cook County

114 F. Supp. 3d 663, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89929, 2015 WL 4185943
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedJuly 10, 2015
DocketCase No. 15-cv-749
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 114 F. Supp. 3d 663 (Pickett v. Housing Authority of Cook County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pickett v. Housing Authority of Cook County, 114 F. Supp. 3d 663, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89929, 2015 WL 4185943 (N.D. Ill. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER

Joan B. Gottschall, United States District Judge

Plaintiff Charlise Pickett has sued the Housing Authority of Cook County and Richard Monocchio, in .his official capacity as Executive Director of Housing Authority of Cook County (collectively, “HACC”), for terminating her from the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Pickett alleges that HACC terminated her housing voucher without cause and without an opportunity for a hearing in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Housing Act of 1937.1

Currently pending before the court are HACC’s motion to dismiss, which was fully briefed, and Pickett’s motion for a preliminary injunction. On July 7, 2015, the court held a hearing on Pickett’s motion for preliminary injunction. For the reasons set forth herein, HACC’s motion to dismiss is denied, and Pickett’s motion for preliminary injunction is granted as-to her request for a due process hearing but denied as to her request for immediate receipt of a voucher.

I. HACC’s Motion to Dismiss

A. Legal Standard

To survive a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), a complaint must “state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (citing Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929, (2007)). A claim satisfies this standard when its factual allegations “raise a right to relief' above the speculative' level.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555-56, 127 S.Ct. 1955; see also Swanson v. Citibank, N.A. 614 F.3d 400, 404 (7th Cir.2010) (“[Plaintiff must give enough details about the subject-matter of the case to present a story that holds together.”). For purposes of a motion to dismiss, the court takés all facts alleged by the plaintiff as true and draws all reasonable inferences from those facts in the plaintiffs favor, although con-clusoiy allegations that merely recite the elements of a claim are not entitled to this presumption of truth. Virnich v. Vorwald, 664 F.3d 206, 212 (7th Cir.2011).

B. Pickett’s Allegations

Pickett began participating in the voucher program in 2003. At that time, she had two minor children. In August 2012, Pickett sought to • move to larger space to accommodate her increased family size, as she had had two additional children. Pickett and her landlord entered into a mutual release of the lease. Pickett obtained a [666]*666Request for Tenancy Approval (“RFTA”) packet from HACC and began looking for new housing.

In September 2012,- Pickett found a property owner who was willing to lease a house to her at the address, 22436 Lake Shore Drive, Richton Park, IL 60471, Pickett submitted the RFTA, signed by the owner of the property, to HACC, as well as a proposed lease and tenancy addendum. In January -2013, HACC determined fhat the.property passed its Housing Quality Standards (“HQS”) inspection. HACC also negotiated a rent with the landlord in January 2013.2

Pickett and her family moved into the property in February 2013. However, she never entered into a lease with the landlord. - She alleges the landlord would not execute the lease or sign a Housing Assistance Payment (“HAP”) contract with HACC because he anticipated losing the property to - foreclosure. When Pickett discovered this information, she requested, and HACC approved, an extension of her voucher (on May 3, 2013. The term of the extension was thirty days. Pickett sought an additional thirty-day extension in July 2013. HACC granted this request.

Later in July 2013, Pickett found a unit to rent in Country Club Hills, Illinois. She and the prospective landlord submitted the required documentation to HACC. HACC then conducted two HQS inspections; the unit failed the initial inspection but passed the second inspection. Upon receiving the passing inspection grade, Pickett’s landlord asked her to move into the property immediately and provide a security deposit. She informed the landlord that she was required to wait for HACC’s approval before she could comply with his request. The prospective landlord subsequently “became frustrated with the process and decided not to rent the unit” to Pickett. - (Compl. ¶ 32.)

Once the Country Club Hills location fell through, Pickett had twelve days remaining on her voucher to find new housing for HACC’s approval. Pickett alleges that HACC did not suspénd the term of her voucher while ..processing her request for approval of the Country Club Hills location.

In August 2013, Pickett found a new unit to rent in Dolton, Illinois. On August 27,2013, she submitted tenancy application forms to HACC, except her materials were missing an HACC form that indicates ownership of the property. An HACC representative informed Pickett that she had missed the submission deadline “by only a couple of days” but could have “three more days” to bring the necessary documentation. (Id. ¶ 35.) Pickett returned to the - owner of the Dolton unit the following day, only to find out that he had decided to rent to-a non-voucher holder.

On August 30,' 2013, Pickett went back to the HACC office to explain what had happened to her and to request additional time. HACC denied her request and gave her a termination notice, dated that same day.

Pickett submitted a written request to appeal the termination decision in September 2013. She did not receive a response from HACC to her request until December 9, 2.013, when a family friend told her that she had received a letter from HACC. HACC had mailed the letter to 17660 Springfield Avenue, Country Club Hills,. Illinois 60478 — a location Pickett had submitted for HAGC approval, but where she had never resided.

[667]*667The letter, dated November 15, 2013, denied Pickett’s request to appeal the decision terminating her participation from the Voucher Program. The letter provided: Dear Charlise Pickett:

The Housing Authority of Cook County (the HACC) has received your request dated September 8, 2013 to appeal the decision to terminate your participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
After careful review of your case, the HACC has decided to deny your request for an informal hearing. This decision was made because: :
□ Your request was received after the deadline for an appeal.
□ The reason for request does not require an informal hearing.
[x] Other: You were issued' five extensions on your voucher search and had moving papers from May 2012 until August 2013 and you did not successfully locate a unit for approval before the extended expiration date of your voucher.

(See Compl. Ex. B.)

C. Discussion

HACC moves to dismiss both Count I and Count II of the Complaint. The court addresses the viability of each claim in turn.

1.

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Bluebook (online)
114 F. Supp. 3d 663, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89929, 2015 WL 4185943, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pickett-v-housing-authority-of-cook-county-ilnd-2015.