I have NO immediate needs, so if you know someone with more pressing issues, please help them! But if you can contribute toward towels, bed linens, kitchen “stuff”, and other stuff to make an apartment a home, I would (as ever) appreciate your help. My paypal account is connected to sheddhead@sbcglobal.net. I will estimate the costs at $500. If I get more, or if I’m able to stock the place and have money left over, I will apply that money to any rent or utility charges for which I will be responsible.
I have been put up by PADS at Red Roof Inn in Naperville, IL since mid-March. They are ending the hotel program since Gov. Pritzker is re-starting the economy. But lots of things have changed. Lots, lots, lots…
Those who have followed me lately may remember that I traveled to the DuPage Housing Authority and provided or completed and signed roughly one hundred thousand forms. Then, as the hotel program began, I was advised that the Housing Office was closed. So there, then.
After several weeks (a couple of months?) passed, I received a call from Ms. Winfield, my case manager at the Housing Authority — she needed me to mark some fields on one of the forms as “None”. She mailed it, I completed the requirements and mailed it back. Two weeks ago my sister called and told me that there was a piece of mail from (drum roll, please) the Housing Authority.
It was a big envelope. To quote Jean Shepherd, who wrote the classic, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, which was renamed A Christmas Story when made into everyone’s favorite movie:
Everything comes to he who waits. I guess. At last, after at least 200 years of constant vigil, there was delivered to me a big, fat, lumpy letter. There are few things more thrilling in Life than lumpy letters. That rattle. Even to this day I feel a wild surge of exultation when I run my hands over an envelope that is thick, fat, and pregnant with mystery.
Before I even opened it, I figured (at least) that it wasn’t a “no.” And I was correct. The pregnant with mystery envelope contained:
- A voucher and 2 additional pages of rules to go along with it. The voucher is good until September 10 of this year.
- A copy of the voucher that I signed and mailed back in the postage-paid envelope.
- A Move-In Packet made up of stuff to be completed mostly by the owner or landlord
- A Check List (to make sure everything is completed.)
- Unit characteristics — 2 pages on Size and Type of Unit, Age, Utilities, Maintenance, Amenities
- Economic Disclosure statement
- Lead Based Paint Form
- Request for Taxpayer ID Number and Certification
- A letter about direct deposit payments
- Direct Deposit Authorization Form
- Owner Declaration Form
- A letter about inspection readiness
- Request for Tenancy Approval
- 2020 Maximum Voucher Allowance based on # of bedrooms and zip code — and it varies WIDELY!!! — and on the flip side, Utility allowance schedule
- Tenant Rent Estimate Sheet. You start with the max voucher allowance, subtract 30% of your gross (which they calculated, dunno how), then ADD 40% of your gross (dunno why) for the Max Gross Rent, and then you subtract the charges for the Utility Allowance Schedule for utilities you pay for. For example, say my Max Allowance was $1100. Rent is $900. Electric and Gas are charged at $50 each, but no charges for Water, Sewer, Trash. So, my Max affordable Rent is $1000.
So yes, it does lead to weird phone calls. “Hi, do you accept section 8 vouchers? No? Thanks, goodbye!” “Hi, do you accept section 8 vouchers? Yes? Great! What utilities are paid by the tenant? Gas, Electric, Water, Trash, Sewer. Ok, Is the water heater and heating gas? Yes? Also the stove then, right? The range is electric? Oh, Ok. Why? No, never mind... Water, Trash, Sewer — are those paid directly to the provider, or is there a flat fee for the complex?”
It gets crazy!
I’ve called more than 25 apartment complexes, many of them multiple times. I’ve never reached a human in about 5 of those — mostly I just hung up and tried later (and hung up again.) I left a message at one and emailed another — no responses, yet.
About 10 said no to vouchers, right off. Several said yes, BUT you have to reach the minimum income requirements shown online, with vouchers counting as 1x the rent. So, If they require you make 3 or 3 ½ times the rent, after excluding the voucher, you need to make 2 or 2 ½ times the rent. While I have been applying for jobs again (and have a phone interview scheduled for Monday), I currently have no income. I have some money left after paying my car insurance and other charges that came up in April/May, and that should keep me going for a few months, but I’ll need a job by September, but preferably well before.
Anyway: I have been working with a nearby apartment complex, trying to secure a 1 bedroom apartment with a larger bedroom than the lowest cost units (those are 608 sq ft total, br= 11x12 per the floor plan online.) The floor plan for the larger unit isn’t online, though it says that is 774 total. I hope it’s mostly in the bedroom. — I’ve asked them to email me a copy.
The apartments have full-sized washer-dryers in the unit. :) Pets allowed, including the dog I’d like to have sooner or later. The lady I’ve called on the phone is really nice. If that doesn’t pan out, I’ve got other complexes in mind, no washer-dryers in the units, but more availability.
PADS will work with various charities — Habitat for Humanity’s store, maybe Bob’s furniture (I hope) and St. Vincent DePaul’s charity to get me basics: A bed, couch, chairs, maybe a table and/or a desk. Linens and towels, I may be pretty much on my own. Not so sure about dinnerware, cookware, flatware, etc. Heck, I have enough paper plates here I haven’t used to get me through a month or two, probably. I’d really like a bed that includes storage drawers on the sides. NOT like the one above, which only has a drawer at the footboard option. But it sure looks comfier than a pad on the floor.
I have applied for an unemployment extension — I have a feeling it won’t work out, (the application estimated $0 in benefits...) but a lady who works for unemployment told me to apply because of the Covid shutdown. That would help sock away some extra loot to get me through the end of the year. And even allow me to get my storage bed!
I have an appointment on Monday morning for a phone interview, to apply for a “Customer Advocate” at a local company. And I took an assessment yesterday for a position at AT&T (which has awesome benefits.) Today my AT&T profile says “Action Needed” and when I clicked for further information, it said: Congratulations! You have successfully completed the required testing for this position. Our records show that we have reached out to you and are looking forward to getting to know you better! Please check your email or click "View email messages" on this site to start the process!
Unfortunately, I don’t have any emails (inbox or spam), and there wasn’t a message from today under “View email messages.” So, I’m hoping that things are scheduled to happen, but they haven’t happened yet. :)
To recap:
- I have the section 8 vouchers, and am trying to arrange to move into an apartment soon — if that falls through, I may have to find another place. Hoping to move in before July. Once I do, I will visit the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry and the local Aldi’s (with my Snap Benefits I’ve been saving up) and fill up my freezer and pantry.
- PADS will work with organizations to get “stuff” for the apartment, though no one can really say exactly what that means. (My sister was hoping to go to garage sales — maybe later in the year huh?)
- I am living/hiding out at Red Roof Inn, paid by PADS while I do my apartment hunts and life planning and job applications.
- I have many applications out there but have a phone interview scheduled for Monday with one and a promising message from AT&T that makes me think there may be another soon.
- I have NO immediate needs, so if you know someone with more pressing issues, please help them! But if you can contribute toward towels, bed linens, kitchen “stuff”, and other stuff to make an apartment a home, I would (as ever) appreciate your help. My paypal account is connected to sheddhead@sbcglobal.net. I will estimate the costs at $500. If I get more, or if I’m able to stock the place with money left over, I will apply that money to any rent or utility charges for which I will be responsible.