An 102-year-old woman is being evicted by her landlord because his daughter needs somewhere to stay. According to The Los Angeles Times, Thelma Smith has lived in her Ladera Heights home for 30 years and her eviction is legal.
Her landlord reportedly ended her month-to-month lease because their daughter is graduating from law school and needs somewhere to live. In Los Angeles, it’s totally legal to evict someone because your relative needs housing thanks to the Los Angeles’ Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
“The only thing I can say is that I’ve tried to live a good life,” Smith told KCBS-TV Channel 2. “I never wanted to harm anybody.”
Smith is leaning on family to find housing. The Ordinance offers to find housing for people who are 62 and over and evicted however, Smith lives outside the area that this applies to.
Her story has caught the attention of former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who met Smith while she worked as an executive secretary for the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation.
Thelma has been a dear friend for a long time. Imagine doing this to a 102-year-old woman who gave back to the community her whole life. It is heartless. Thelma, I’ll be reaching out to help. Landlords, you’ll hear from me too. https://t.co/IJQrclGQ6I
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 24, 2019
Smith has to move out by June 30th. A Go Fund Me has been set up to help her as she looks for a new place.
PHOTO: ThinkStock
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