Catherine Anne Williamson, representing herself, sought to stop Wayland Square Realty and other defendants from evicting her from a Rhode Island apartment she claims suffered from water damage and mold contamination. Williamson argued the environmental conditions worsened her pre-existing health vulnerabilities and that defendants failed to provide reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act after she requested help in 2023.
Judge McConnell found Williamson's motion, written in an unusual style referring to herself as 'a woman of substance' and invoking equity maxims, failed to meet the Winter standard for preliminary relief. 'The plaintiff has not demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of her federal civil rights claims,' McConnell wrote. 'Moreover, the motion lacks the specificity and legal foundation required for emergency injunctive relief.' The judge noted that parallel state eviction proceedings were already underway and that federal courts generally abstain from interfering with state landlord-tenant matters absent compelling federal interests.
The case has been pending since 2023, with Williamson initially filing complaints about housing conditions and requesting accommodations. According to the motion, defendants first told Williamson to move out rather than address the mold issues, then allegedly agreed to provide accommodations through a third-party advocate, but later proceeded with termination and eviction actions approximately six months after her initial written request.
The denial leaves Williamson vulnerable to the ongoing state eviction proceedings while her federal civil rights claims continue. Housing advocates say the ruling illustrates the challenges disabled tenants face when trying to use federal court to halt evictions, particularly when proceeding pro se in complex civil rights litigation involving both federal and state law claims.