CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Municipal Housing Court hosted a housing clinic for residents at the Collinwood Recreation Center. Residents could connect with organizations such as the Cleveland Department of Public Health, Cleveland Public Power and the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research. 

Ronald James, 72, of Cleveland, was in attendance and learned about his rights as a tenant. 

“It gives a sense of empowerment to people that they feel that they can exercise their rights against landlords that are abusing them,” he said.

He lives in a building that he said is struggling with maintenance and landlord issues and wanted to gather information to take back to other people in his building. 

“So I’m going to take this back to the people in my building to help empower them to see to it that they the justice that they deserve,” he said. 

Cleveland Municipal Housing Court Judge W. Moná Scott helped to put this event together. She wanted to connect the community with resources that they can use when faced with issues such as social security, veteran’s benefits and landlords shutting off people’s water. 

“It’s about community and it’s about having these resources and getting these resources out into the community,” she said. 

She urged the residents in attendance to speak to all the organizations there that could help them with their issues.

“Ask these questions while these people are out here. You get one shot at this,” she said. 

She said people can receive aid when rent is due, help with water and electricity bills, and veterans have a lot of benefits that they do not even know about. 

The Cleveland Municipal Housing Court will host more events in the future, such as a landlord’s workshop on Aug. 27 and another housing clinic Sept. 8. More information can be found at the Cleveland Municipal Housing Court's website.