A new start for O'Connor
By Carl Kozlowski 05/29/2008
The hard-knocks life of Mary O’Connor — a woman whose struggles with mental illness and fight to avoid homelessness were highlighted by a three-part series in March and April editions of the Pasadena Weekly — took a turn for the better on Saturday when she moved into a spacious new apartment.
O’Connor came to the paper’s attention in February when Mid-City Holdings, LLC, refused to renew her lease on a Koreatown studio apartment, largely because of the number of animals she keeps in her home.
These animals — dogs, cats, birds and a turtle — have been deemed “emotional support animals” by her doctor and help her cope with such problems as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
With the help of Pasadena attorney Philip Koebel, O’Connor not only beat her pending eviction, she won an undisclosed court settlement that allowed her to move into her new home.
“The story has a happy ending. She’s lucked out. It just goes to show there are pet-friendly apartments and understanding apartment managers,” said Koebel. “The belief is that [people with special needs] have to conceal their disability and it’s not always the case. I think it comes down to people exercising good judgment. The fact that the new place is being favorable [to O’Connor] is a lesson that Mid-City should take to heart.
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