A Bored Panda’s Life In Low-Income Housing

My current situation is I’m in low-income housing (being in low income housing isn’t much different than being homeless. Dealing with the housing authority is a lot like dealing with social services. They want to be notified of every change in income. My case worker didn’t want to give me her email address, which would have made things easier on me in my situation. On Saturday’s I would go to the library and do work on the computer, I could have scanned the information over to them. I had to drop off changes in income to their office as I was living in my car at the time and my main job was in Winchester, VA an hour commute where their office was. Two times I had interviews scheduled on those days and had to cancel the interviews. The interviews were for better paying jobs which would have gotten me off food stamps. My original caseworker with the housing authority brought me into her office twice, because I was going through a lot of jobs and my income changed. I had to take off work both times. My second caseworker at the housing authority wanted to go over the apartment on two different occasions. I had just started a job working a split shift job a 25 minute commute away. The time I had to take off because I was a new employee was enough for the employer so they let me go. For people concerned with monthly income (they both made more of an impediment to get a monthly income). Some of the residents there also have “mental health issues” (After being there for a while you can tell who they are.). It seems like they get dumped in low income housing from somewhere else that couldn’t afford them. Several people couldn’t take care of themselves, but low income housing took them anyway. One elderly woman came down one morning and told me her clock had stopped working, I told her it probably needs a new battery. On another morning she came down and asked me how to take a tag off her coat. Another woman named Dana attempted suicide twice (reportly one attempt was because of $1) by trying to jump off an 8th story balcony. After the first suicide attempt you would have thought housing would have moved her to a ground floor apartment, but she is still on the 8th floor. Prior to coming to low-income housing, Dana had told me she was in assisted living facility (assisted living is for people who can’t take care of themselves). Dana tries and bums cigarettes from the residents at the Tower. They all complain about it but people give her cigarettes anyway. Dana also panhandles for money, she’ll tell people she doesn’t have any money for food (on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s churches come to the tower and make meals for residents, they don’t charge for it. If you are getting food stamps you qualify for a food bank card. Once a month you can go to any of the county’s food banks and get a bag of groceries. Dana will come to the vending machines in the community room at night and get a couple of sodas. If she can afford sodas we can’t understand why she would need more for food. Some of the residents have payees who handle their money. Dana has a daughter and son who come and visit her. We think her daughter is her payee and if Dana is without money we think that they aren’t handling her money properly.). One morning she asked one resident for $20, he got so mad in a loud voice he told her to leave him alone.

Another elderly woman would wonder the hall at night and knock on people’s doors. The police and EMS were at the complex at least twice a night. There were residents there who would let any stranger into the building (which you are not allowed to do). EMS was usually there because most of the residents are elderly with health problems (occasionally a drug overdose, the running joke is that the 6th floor has a hookah lounge. After you get off on the 6th floor you can see white smoke in the hall. So much that you would think that they just elected another pope.). There used to be a very large vase in the community room and it had a tree in it, once another resident (a male) made the vase into a urinal. At Christmas time they had a small Christmas tree in the community room with wrapped boxes underneath the tree. One time a resident opened the gift wrapped boxes to get the gifts inside (there was no gifts inside the boxes.). The community room also had a blue vase with fake flowers in it, someone stole the fake flowers. The police were there for a variety of reasons (there is security in the building but they hardly ever did anything, if you complained about something they would just tell you the matter is under investigation). One evening a disheveled woman (who smelled of alcohol and her eyes were blood shot) was wondering around on the ground floor. I was in the community room with a couple of other residents. The community room is on the ground floor about 20 feet from the building’s door. The disheveled woman came into the community room and started talking to me and the other residents. At first she stated that me and the 2 other residents reminded her of her family in Tennessee, and that one of the other residents there remind her of her grandmother (god rest her soul, doing a cross with her hand afterward) She stated she was here to save a guy in room 102 but he is passed out on the floor and can’t let her in the room. We asked her how she got in she came in behind someone who was a resident. We told her that she had to leave. She then asked us if she could stay the night. We told her no she had to leave. One of the other residents there, was going out to smoke a cigarette and the disheveled woman wanted to know where you could smoke. The resident showed where to smoke then closed the front door and went to the bathroom. Then went out to smoke, while the resident was out smoking the resident called the police on the disheveled woman. After talking to the disheveled woman for about 30 minutes the police took away in handcuffs. On another occasion, a person came into the community room while myself and others were there. We had never seen that person before. We asked the person if he lived there. He stated to us his grandmother did. He then went to sit in a darken corner of the community room. After a while someone checked on him and he was sleeping. One of the other resident who was there blew a whistle and the person who was in the darken corner sleeping didn’t respond to the whistle. Another resident there then called security. Security came about 20 minutes later and after offering to take the person up to his grandmother’s apartment security ended up escorting him off the property grounds (guests aren’t allowed to be in the community without the resident they are coming to see). Two nights later with the same person tried the same thing and security was called again and again escorted him off the ground. (outsiders from the community think the building is the Do Drop Inn. Outsiders were found passed out sleeping in the halls, stairways, and bathrooms. Outsiders often get into the building by “piggybacking” when a resident would scan his card to get in the door, the outsiders would hold the door and follow the resident in.). One evening a woman came to the community room stating that she had been waiting for a taxi for over an hour and that the taxi got pulled over by the cops. I was playing cards at the time. That woman then said to me how about playing one game of 21 blackjack and then she would have to walk to Burger King on Dual Highway (this was at 2am). I played one game of blackjack with her. Then she went out of the community room, then walked back in and wanted to play another game. That’s when I told her that I was tired and went up to my room. There are a group of all nighters (about 6 residents) who stay up real late and gossip, talk, play cards, do wordsearches, puzzles, color, etc. Sometimes when they gossip they step on other people’s toes and arguments ensue. Some people just can’t mind their own business, some people just like causing trouble for others, and just can’t get along with people (which may go with “mental health issues”). The “facility dumping” creates problems for reidents without “mental health issues”. Another resident who is from Jamaica speaks with a thick accent and is loud (some people are afraid of him.). There is a young woman with April, (sometimes she uses a wheel chair and sometimes she walks) and her husband on the top floor. EMS is constantly taking one of them to the hospital. April will come down to ground floor in the mornings and let people in the building (which you’re not supposed to do) and try and bum cigarettes from them. April had told one other resident that before coming to low-income housing she was at a nursing home. Another resident is Jeff who has seizures (under control with medication). When he doesn’t take his medication and has a seizure, he get up and chase other residents around the room. On one occasion he kick another resident after one episode. In the community room at night are several all-nighters they gossip, play cards, and share food. Some all-nighters complain that they are people who talk behind their back and won’t say things to their face (the one complaining about that also talk behind people’s backs). One guy named Don got mad and loud because after he said something to me I whispered something to Brenda who was sitting with me at another table. Don complained that “if you have something to say about me then say it to my face.” Don talks about people behind their back. I was talking about another resident to Brenda when Don got angry, I had whispered something to Brenda and Don thought I was talking about him.

When EMS comes he runs away. Several times residents have called and he doesn’t want to go to the hospital. After calling EMS several times the county starts to charge the people that call for coming out. Being low-income they can’t afford to pay for someone who refuses treatment (going to the hospital) and who doesn’t take medication. At this low-income housing building all utilities are free and rent is subsidized (no gas, electric, water bill). Even after getting free utilities, there are residents who complain about people getting food stamps. Some of the residents at low-income housing are very opinionated and voice those opinions they say people on food stamps should be made to get jobs. I say why don’t those residents (who complain about people getting food stamps) get jobs and pay for their utilities. Another resident would state that it’s bad enough they let welfare babies in here. The housing authority signed a contract with HUD that the housing authority has to only rent to low-income people. Not everyone in low-income housing is getting food stamps and many work. One of the rules from the housing authority is that young children aren’t allowed to live in the building. A woman who has been there several years has recently been awarded custody of her young granddaughter is being made to leave the building (her daughter is in a rehab for drug addiction). Another woman named Sharon was living with her brother. Sharon’s name wasn’t on the lease, the housing authority eventually escorted Sharon out of the building (as well they should have but it took almost a year.). Sharon also came down at lunch time and ate meals that were for residents only. The elevator’s break down a lot, there are three. The housing authority got a $2 million grant for capital improvements, but won’t use that money to get new elevators. When I had private housing and lived in an apartment there was a dumpster outside the building for residents to put their trash in. In this low income housing building they want you to put the trash (to large to go in the chute) to go to the lower level (there’s no surprise that the 1st floor has rats and mice.). Life in low-income housing is somewhat restrictive, you can go place when you can afford to, there is a bus or you walk. People in low-income housing don’t want to do things for you as a favor, they usually want money (I asked someone at our building if he would take me to Walgreens to pick up a critical medicine. He stated he wanted $5, which I didn’t have so I didn’t get the medicine.). There are lunches at low-income housing provided by the department of aging for a modest contribution. Some people give contributions and some don’t. The meals were served 5 days a week last year. This year it’s only three days a week this year because they didn’t get enough in contributions. Churches makes meals on other 2 days. The meals are delivered according to the inclement policy of the county school system. If schools are delayed 2 hours then meals aren’t served that day.

We also have a social night one night a month where residents can bring a dish or give a donation. Not everyone who eats at social night brings a dish or gives money. There are also several people who regularly try and bum cigarettes.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. –Proverbs 31:8-9

Help this bored panda out anything will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

https://fundly.com/help-the-homeless-171