Living in Subsidized Housing

Yet you can afford a GLP gold star.

moocher

As many of you know, I'm mentally disabled.

*pauses for laughter*

Besides having PTSD, I am losing my memory at a rather alarming rate. I have good days and bad days. If you ever follow my writing/posts, you can pretty much tell which days were good and which days were bad. Anyway, because I'm only 47 I am on disability but I don't qualify for Social Security for another 20 years. No worries. I am working at building my own business doing research. Not an easy task with a memory problem, but one has to do what one has to do.

Because my disability is only $699 a month, I need to live in a rent assisted housing facility. Here in Texas the waiting list for a Section 8 housing voucher is years long so I opted to rent in a housing program that is offered by the community where I live. It is overseen by HUD, but it is privately owned property which is reimbursed for the remainder of the rent due through a state HUD grant program.

Now because it is privately owned, they can make their own rules. Not a problem, right? Erm. Maybe. The Housing Authority is run by Board of investors. This is a very small town with about zip for crime and everyone practically knows each other by name. This board makes some really interesting rules. I'm just going to name a few to see what you all think. Now I'd like to point out that I am the youngest person in this complex which is made up of 16 one bedroom units. The rest of the people who live here are all retired elderly and are all widowed with grown children.

Once a month we have a housing inspection. These inspections get weirder and weirder as the months go by. While I can understand the reasoning behind some of the - rules - I can't help but find many of them personally offensive and horrendously disrespectful to the elderly living here.

1. They check my dresser drawers, closets, cabinets and other furniture drawers for hidden drugs or drug paraphernalia.

2. They require my apartment to be as clean as a hospital. I've been in some of the board member's houses and I can tell you that they do not live up to their own standards.

3. Even though we are all on a limited income, we are required to water the lawns around our apartments to keep bugs out. Anyone care to wonder a guess at how much my water bill runs? Some of these elderly live on far less since they were housewives and mothers and did not work outside of the home.

4. There can not be any dust, streaks, or dirt on the windows. All window blinds must be free of dust or dirt and not be damaged in any way. We pay to have the blinds put in, btw.

5. If we have a pet, we are required to pay a 300 dollar non-refundable deposit. Yes...a deposit which is non-refundable. It should be called a fee if it isn't refundable, but oh well.

Here are some of the other rules which really chap my ass.

1. Any family member who brings over a resident's personal pet, must pay a 300 dollar non-refundable deposit each time the animal visits and show proof of all shots. If the animal is going to live with the resident, they deposit need only be paid once. Failure to comply will result in eviction of the resident. Seriously.

2. All dogs must be kept on a short leash. Any one using a leash over three feet will be fined and the animal will be barred from the property.

3. All outside windows must be washed once a month. The siding and doors must be free of dust and dirt. Now wait a fucking minute. How is 89 year old granny suppose to fucking clean the god damned siding and wash windows that go 8 ft off the ground?

4. All areas outside of the apartment, including personal gardening areas, must be free of weeds. Failure to comply will result in a $50 fine for each day of noncompliance.

And it goes on and on. HUD doesn't have any such rules. I've spoken with the State Attorney's office and they said that because it is private property that the owners can make any rules that do not violate my Constitutional rights. Erm... what about the monthly searches? She said that is a grey area. A grey area? WTF? What about the watering? 120 a month in a Texas summer? I have to go for days without AC and my diet is far from nutritional just to comply with all of the stupid rules. I haven't been out to eat, gone out for a cup of coffee, or bought so much as a fucking candle for ambiance in eons. Can't afford it. No phone, TV or extras. This feels more like a punishment than a help. We're treated like subhuman criminals who live in prison. Our recourse? We can leave.

So for the folks who think that those of us who need public assistance to get by live footloose and fancy free - we most certainly do not. It's humiliating, degrading and totalitarian. It's why we call this complex "Nazi Square". And the rules keep coming. Sometimes two and three new ones a month. It's insane.

Thanks. Just needed to vent.

Move to the UK they will give you double that amount for a month

Sorry to hear of that, sounds really annoying. I admire you for your determination in research and for persevering.

BTW the opening to this rant cracked me up.

much love!

Remember, Ireland soon.

Move to the UK they will give you double that amount for a month

Assume much?

Someone paid for it. It was an anonymous gift. No one has ever come forward so I could thank them. One day I just had a year's subscription and I don't know who gifted it.

As many of you know, I'm mentally disabled.

*pauses for laughter*

Besides having PTSD, I am losing my memory at a rather alarming rate. I have good days and bad days. If you ever follow my writing/posts, you can pretty much tell which days were good and which days were bad. Anyway, because I'm only 47 I am on disability but I don't qualify for Social Security for another 20 years. No worries. I am working at building my own business doing research. Not an easy task with a memory problem, but one has to do what one has to do.

Because my disability is only $699 a month, I need to live in a rent assisted housing facility. Here in Texas the waiting list for a Section 8 housing voucher is years long so I opted to rent in a housing program that is offered by the community where I live. It is overseen by HUD, but it is privately owned property which is reimbursed for the remainder of the rent due through a state HUD grant program.

Now because it is privately owned, they can make their own rules. Not a problem, right? Erm. Maybe. The Housing Authority is run by Board of investors. This is a very small town with about zip for crime and everyone practically knows each other by name. This board makes some really interesting rules. I'm just going to name a few to see what you all think. Now I'd like to point out that I am the youngest person in this complex which is made up of 16 one bedroom units. The rest of the people who live here are all retired elderly and are all widowed with grown children.

Once a month we have a housing inspection. These inspections get weirder and weirder as the months go by. While I can understand the reasoning behind some of the - rules - I can't help but find many of them personally offensive and horrendously disrespectful to the elderly living here.

1. They check my dresser drawers, closets, cabinets and other furniture drawers for hidden drugs or drug paraphernalia.

2. They require my apartment to be as clean as a hospital. I've been in some of the board member's houses and I can tell you that they do not live up to their own standards.

3. Even though we are all on a limited income, we are required to water the lawns around our apartments to keep bugs out. Anyone care to wonder a guess at how much my water bill runs? Some of these elderly live on far less since they were housewives and mothers and did not work outside of the home.

4. There can not be any dust, streaks, or dirt on the windows. All window blinds must be free of dust or dirt and not be damaged in any way. We pay to have the blinds put in, btw.

5. If we have a pet, we are required to pay a 300 dollar non-refundable deposit. Yes...a deposit which is non-refundable. It should be called a fee if it isn't refundable, but oh well.

Here are some of the other rules which really chap my ass.

1. Any family member who brings over a resident's personal pet, must pay a 300 dollar non-refundable deposit each time the animal visits and show proof of all shots. If the animal is going to live with the resident, the deposit need only be paid once. Failure to comply will result in eviction of the resident. Seriously.

2. All dogs must be kept on a short leash. Any one using a leash over three feet will be fined and the animal will be barred from the property.

3. All outside windows must be washed once a month. The siding and doors must be free of dust and dirt. Now wait a fucking minute. How is 89 year old granny suppose to fucking clean the god damned siding and wash windows that go 8 ft off the ground?

4. All areas outside of the apartment, including personal gardening areas, must be free of weeds. Failure to comply will result in a $50 fine for each day of noncompliance.

And it goes on and on. HUD doesn't have any such rules. I've spoken with the State Attorney's office and they said that because it is private property that the owners can make any rules that do not violate my Constitutional rights. Erm... what about the monthly searches? She said that is a grey area. A grey area? WTF? What about the watering? 120 a month in a Texas summer? I have to go for days without AC and my diet is far from nutritional just to comply with all of the stupid rules. I haven't been out to eat, gone out for a cup of coffee, or bought so much as a fucking candle for ambiance in eons. Can't afford it. No phone, TV or extras. This feels more like a punishment than a help. We're treated like subhuman criminals who live in prison. Our recourse? We can leave.

So for the folks who think that those of us who need public assistance to get by live footloose and fancy free - we most certainly do not. It's humiliating, degrading and totalitarian. It's why we call this complex "Nazi Square". And the rules keep coming. Sometimes two and three new ones a month. It's insane.

Thanks. Just needed to vent.

Yet you can afford a GLP gold star.

moocher

This thread is just begging for the super i-worked-harder-than-you trolls to jump out and start hollering about useless eaters. I'd just like to preemptively warn those hard working, hard hating, hard judging Earnest Citizens that anybody could be in a position someday to rely on public housing, even temporarily.

OP, best of luck to you in your situation.

Cheers,

Allen Tardman

Yet you can afford a GLP gold star.

moocher

This feels more like a punishment than a help. We're treated like subhuman criminals who live in prison. Our recourse? We can leave.

So for the folks who think that those of us who need public assistance to get by live footloose and fancy free - we most certainly do not. It's humiliating, degrading and totalitarian. It's why we call this complex "Nazi Square". And the rules keep coming. Sometimes two and three new ones a month. It's insane.

Thanks. Just needed to vent.

With more rules comes a standard of living which makes the tenants more responsible.

Are you Christian?