Volunteers of America is being slapped with a lawsuit for allegedly discarding the belongings of a homeless man.
The suit claims that VOA knowingly violated the constitutional rights of Leo Johnson when it cleared out a storage container that held a bag with his dentures, prescription eyeglasses and clothing.
Johnson, who was staying off and on at VOA's overflow shelter in downtown Reno, stored his belongings in a large pod at VOA's main campus.
Terri Keyser-Cooper is Johnson's lawyer and says that VOA did not give proper notice before clearing out his property.
"They just decided arbitrarily and capriciously on a particular day that they were going to clean out the storage facility without any notice to anyone, and that's upsetting and it's terrible for the people involved, because that's all they have in the world."
She says Johnson cannot afford to replace his teeth. The suit, filed in federal district court, seeks unspecified damages.
Contacted by phone, a VOA spokeswoman says they have not yet had an opportunity to read or respond to the suit. She says they inform all clients at the overflow shelter that they must pick up their belongings within 24 hours of leaving.
Johnson Suit Against Volunteers of America
