JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville Army veteran and pastor is facing eviction all because of one piece of paper that her landlord refuses to sign.
The Ask Anthony team is trying to get answers and keep a roof over Monica Hooks' head. She found an eviction notice on the door of her Arlington apartment last week.
"I wasn't shocked because whenever I tried to get in touch with them I was not getting a response. I wasn't getting a call back. I wasn't getting an email back," Monica Hooks said.
Hooks receives financial assistance from "Changing Homelessness." It's a local organization that works to keep a roof over people's heads during tough times. Hooks had some health issues and the group stepped in to help her with a portion of her rent.
Hooks said her apartment complex, Pier 5350, stopped accepting the money because of a form the organization requires landlords to sign under a new federal law called the "Violence Against Women Act."
"This is the only landlord from the program that has not signed the form. It is the only landlord that I'm aware of that has chosen not to sign the form," Dawn Gilman explained.
Dawn Gilman is the CEO of Changing Homelessness. She says the form provides housing protections for people applying for or living in units subsidized by the federal government, who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking.
It helps keep them safe and reduces the likelihood of homelessness.
"This is one very specific protection for the tenant. But, it is not an extreme one. This is to make sure that the person is safe, which as I said, all other landlords seem to think is a reasonable request," Gilman added.
Gilman said her team has reached out multiple times to the managers of Pier 5350 and they have refused to sign the form, which means Changing Homelessness cannot send them the check for Hooks' rent.
"It is a traumatic event in anyone's life to lose their housing. Now they are losing it again through absolutely no fault of their own," Gilman said.
Anthony Austin left a message with someone in the Pier 5350 office. He has yet to receive a call back from a manager. He also called the corporate office, Pegasus Residential, which is based in Georgia. He even emailed their executive team.
No one has responded with why they won't sign this piece of paper.