In March 2009, ACRI submitted a petition to the Court for Administrative Affairs in Jerusalem against the Ministry of Housing. The petition was submitted on behalf of a single parent whose financial aid from the government for rent payment was stopped abruptly when she was in an advanced state of pregnancy and has not been renewed since then.
The sole reason the appellant was given was the fact that her personal status in the population register had been changed to “under clarification” (after the appellant took steps to register her marriage). In the petition, ACRI argues that the cessation of aid was not legal, since it was known that the partner she wishes to register as her spouse is a prisoner and consequently her financial situation did not change after marriage. It was also argued that to stop payment of housing assistance to a woman in the late stages of pregnancy is an extremely unreasonable decision, and that the sums of money denied her should be reimbursed retroactively.
In addition, the rules of administrative law were not observed in this case. The petition argues that eligible individuals should not be deprived of aid without prior warning and without the right to appeal, and that as long as the hearing and clarification procedures have not been completed and no final decision has been taken, the aid should be continued.
The petition was submitted together with a request for an urgent proceeding for fear that continuation of the present situation could lead to the eviction of the appellant and her small son from their apartment, since without housing assistance she is unable to pay the rent.
