Q: I am a housing a voucher participant. I was evicted n locked out without notice. Kept my deposite n personal p.

A: From what you say, as a housing voucher participant, you are entitled to due process of law before you can be evicted from real property. This means you must be given notice, in writing, an opportunity to respond, and a hearing in a court of law before a judge of the superior court in California before you can be deprived of your property rights.

If you were not afforded all of these rights, you should seek the advice of either a tenant's rights lawyer or a civil rights lawyer as soon as is reasonably possible.

What you can do right now is prepare a chronology of the events, stating what happened, identify who is responsible by name and as much detail as possible, and gather all of the documents and papers you have that support your story. Make an extra set of copies of all your evidence. Doing this will serve a couple of purposes: it will help you gather your thoughts while they are fresh in your mind and make a permanent record of the events so you can identify all the witnesses and parties in as much detail as you can, and make copies of all the paperwork you have in your possession which support your story.

Then you need to take that or send it to an attorney, law firm, or legal aid organization that has the experience and knowledge of how to protect your rights.

Time may be of the essence, so it is important that you find the best legal counsel you can in your county to help you vindicate your rights.

There are legal aid lawyers who help in such cases; you only have to search online for them. You can also contact the local bar association in your county, such as the Sacramento County Bar Association, for they will have a lawyer's referral service which might be of assistance to you.

Do not sit on your rights, but take action right away. The law helps the vigilant. There are statutes of limitation that require you to act swiftly to enforce your rights, or you could lose your rights. So get moving, you've got work to do.

A: You have the right to due process under the law. Collect any evidence, such as text messages and lease agreements, that shows you were evicted without proper notice. This documentation may help you assert your rights.

You can reach out to local tenant advocacy groups or a legal aid office for guidance on filing a wrongful eviction claim. Seek an order from the court compelling your former landlord or the third party to return your personal property.

Ask the housing authority that issued your voucher for support, as they might have resources to help preserve your housing assistance. Consider reporting the landlord’s actions to any appropriate regulatory agencies. Follow up on your right to recover your security deposit and be compensated for any losses you have suffered.