By: Kathryn Baer

Kathryn Baer — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:38:45 +0000

What a moving story, Zenovia. And so distressing. Thank you for sharing it. I think only someone who’s tried to deal with “the system” can tell us what it’s really like. You deserve much better. So do all those people you write about who are on the streets or holed up in the woods.

By: Zenovia Carter

Zenovia Carter — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:29:27 +0000

Dear Ms. Baer: you are sooo right. I am a female Gulf War Veteran, that after years of employ, and head of household for many years. I fell abruptly on hard times over night. at the age of 42, I lost my job due to illness, and to my surprise, I was not only sick and unemployed but pregnant at 42, and bed rest for 5 months in order to save my baby. My husband of 13 years just abruptly packed a Uhaul truck one day when I was out with the baby, and abandoned me and the baby once he turned 1 yr. old. Leaving me with 10 dollars to my name and cleaned out the bank account. he left to destination unknown. later I found out throught research that he was in the state on NY.
now I was sick, with a baby,pennyless, and a house mortgage. I was a hairline fracture from becoming a statistic, we lost our home. I believed that if I had not worked hard for assistance, I would indeed be living out of a large appliance box with my son.
Got the VA assistance Voucher program, they work in conjunction with Columbia housing authority. this is going to be my third yr. in the program. I am disabled and with a 3yr old baby. I read your article and honestly sometimes I wonder if I would have been better off in a large appliance box under a bridge. hiding out from child protective services. The Red tape that one goes thru is incredible, and very stressfull. The way they calculate their figures in regards to the portion of the rental that one must pay.. just baffles my mind. I am living in a 3 bedroom home presently,and trying to move out of this home for a lower rental in order to save some money to get back on my feet. and did you know that moving to a smaller place.., no storage, and a tiny 2 bedroom,… Housing auth. is saying that my portion of the rent is going to be higher. how can that be possible. I was trying to move forward. but with what they are quoting me for my portion, I might as well, get rid of my car, walk or use a wheel chair to get from point A to B, and not eat, buy diapers and child necesities and still live out of a large appliance box. just not to wig out with the stress of the last minute wait and see. and that is the reason… that as we drive sometimes we see the people that are living either on the streets or in the woods. I used to wonder how they got to that point, but without judgement. Now I truly understand how easy it is to just give up, and say.. “to “h” with the system. It is a lot to handle. but I am still fighting hard for my sons sake, but if it were not for him, I would have retreated to the woods along with all the other disabled Vets that served their country proudly. most times, I feel so alone, under-estimated for my mental capabilities,and desilusioned by a system. that moves you backward to the point of giving up instead of forward for betterment.

By: What’s In the President’s Budget for Affordable Housing? « Poverty & Policy

Mon, 11 May 2009 18:30:42 +0000

[...] numbers of households are paying far more for rent than they can afford. As I recently wrote, figures from the National Low Income Housing Coalition show that this was a major problem even [...]

Comments on: Affordable Housing Crisis Worsens for Low-Income Households

By: Kathryn Baer

By: Zenovia Carter

By: What’s In the President’s Budget for Affordable Housing? « Poverty & Policy