UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FILED
APR 2 0 2010
Habtamu Daniel, ) Clerk, U.S. District & Bankruptcy
) Courts for the District of Columbia
Plaintiff, )
)
v. )
)
Civil Action No.
10 0613
D.C. Public Housing Authority, )
)
Defendant. )
MEMORANDUM OPINION
The plaintiff has filed a pro se complaint and an application to proceed in forma pauperis.
The application will be granted and the complaint will be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
In his complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he filed an application with the defendant in
2004 seeking low income public housing and was interviewed in 2007, but despite asking for
priority treatment due to being mentally ill and living in a shelter, he has not yet been placed in
public housing. Compi. at 1. As relief, the plaintiff "want [s] the court to force this agency and to
offer me a house with the rent paid since I had an interview in 2007." Id.
Unlike state courts of general jurisdiction, federal district courts have limited jurisdiction.
A federal district court has jurisdiction in civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws or
treaties of the United States. See 28 U.S.C. § 1331. Here, however, the complaint appears to
arise from the alleged decisions made by the District of Columbia Housing Authority, which is a
department of the government of the District of Columbia, not a federal agency or department.
The allegations in the complaint regarding the plaintiff s application for low income public
housing do not appear to allege a violation of the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United
States.
A federal district court also has jurisdiction over civil actions in matters where the
controversy exceeds $75,000 and where there is complete diversity of citizenship among the
parties. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). Here, it appears that the plaintiff and the defendant are both
citizens of the District of Columbia, not of different states. In addition, the plaintiff has not
alleged that the amount in controversy is greater than $75,000.
Accordingly, the Court will dismiss the complaint, without prejudice, for lack of subject
matter jurisdiction. A separate order accompanies this memorandum opinion.
Date: C'1~ (2.. f ").. () rD
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