Westside Rentals Application: Fill & Download for Free

My story is different from most. I spent 18 months “legally” homeless in Los Angeles due to what I describe as a “perfect storm” of events. It started with my two roommates (a couple) moving out of the apartment we shared. Our landlord was a complete asshole. Because we rented a condo, we were not protected by rent control. So our landlord kept raising our rent, $100 bucks a month with each increase until none of us could afford to live there alone. After my roommates moved out, the landlord hit me up for a deposit that was greater than our monthly rent which I couldn't afford. I also had a 10 year old dog, and as we lived on the second floor and the stairs weren't carpeted, she was having difficulty going up and down the stairs. For these reasons, I gave my notice. I had no idea that I would have an impossible time finding just one apartment that would allow me to move in with my dog.My boss became aware of my predicament and offered a place in the back of his store for me to crash until I could find a place. With no other option available I took him up on his offer. From that day forward he stopped paying me for my work. It's worth pointing out that I was his only employee at this time, and he wasn't holding back my pay as a form of rent. He didn't own the building and he didn't have the legal ground to sublet the space. He was just being an asshole. I continued my search for a place to live, but kept having doors closed in my face because of my dog. Eventually, with no money coming in I didn't have enough to put down on an apartment and I was stuck living in the place I worked. There was no shower, no hot water, and my kitchen and bathroom were the same room that customers used. This went on for 4 months. I “bathed” in a sink with cold water all of that time. Meanwhile, my requests for compensation were met with excuses. I learned that he and his alleged wife had just had a child (alleged, because he told me he wasn't married, but his cousin spilled the beans), and I became aware that he was using what was supposed to be my pay to cover his hospital bills. I started a complaint against him with the labor board. After those 4 months he cut me a check for 1/3 of what he owed me then threw me out on the street and closed the business. The day that he threw me out was the first rainy day we had in months. He knew exactly what he was doing.I immediately cashed the check and found a motel where my dog and I would be welcome. I hoped my luck would change and my dog and I would find a place to live. That didn't happen. At least the motel had hot water and a comfortable bed. But now I had to find a home and a job simultaneously. No such luck. I ended up selling my vehicle to pay the rent on the motel. I was there for a month and a half.The fellow who bought my vehicle realized the situation I was in and offered me the opportunity to live in the back of his business. I was reluctant at first because of the previous situation, but when your options are that limited you take what is offered. I moved into his place of business with my dog and kept searching for a job and an apartment. By this time I was receiving unemployment, but I didn't qualify for any other forms of assistance. Getting an apartment was now out of the question due to the expense, but I kept trying. Eventually I got a management job, but the pay ended up being a bait and switch, and 2 months into the job the supervisor told me she couldn't afford to pay what they advertsed and cut my wage by $3 per hour.I worked hard for 8 months before an opportunity to move into a small apartment became available. In that time, my dog succumbed to old age and died. But I was finally back on my feet and in my own place… until 4 months later when the landlord who owned the building that I worked in raised the store's rent by 72% which forced us to close and I lost my job. 8 months of job applications and only 6 months of unemployment and I was on the verge of being homeless again. Only this time I wasn't poised to be as fortunate as before. It turned out to be better to leave LA rather than weather another homeless stint.As I said, I was fortunate. I was homeless as per the government definition of not living in a registered domicile, but I never went without a roof over my head or the most basic of creature comforts. Yet it was still demeaning. Along my journey I met other homeless people who were not as fortunate as myself and I did what I could to help them out. Several of the people I met had dogs with them too. I started giving them bags of dog food so their dogs could have something better than gutter scraps to eat. It was what I could afford to do and they were thankful. After my dog died, I started a tribute to her called The Gretchen Project to encourage people to do the same thing, giving baggies of pet food to homeless people with pets. My ultimate goal in LA was to get dog groomers and veterinarians on board to offer free pet baths and shots to homeless pets, but I left the city before I could get that started.One thing I learned in those 18 months is that homeless people are not just crazy fringe people. Circumstances can spin out of control for anyone and leave them without a home, especially in a high priced market like LA. I met really decent, smart people who were doing what they had to do to survive after being dealt a bad hand.I also learned that there are a lot of cold blooded landlords out there. I spoke with people who had not one ounce of concern over the fact that their absolute greed was (and still is) causing a spike in homelessness. In the nearly 5 years since I left LA, the number of homeless people there has nearly quintupled, as has the number of rental vacancies. There are an estimated 58,000 homeless people in Los Angeles and 52,000 vacant rental units, according to Westside Rentals (the city's largest rental listing service). It doesn't take a genius to realize where the problem stems from. The cost to rent has exceeded what a lot of people can afford, and regular people are being displaced at an alarming rate. Until and unless the conditions which are causing homelessness are dealt with, the problem will only continue to get worse. LA has decided to combat the problem at the homeless end by borrowing up to 1.2 Billion dollars to create individual shelters for the homeless. That's like trying to shut off a firehose by putting your hand in front of it. It won't stop the flow of people being displaced by “market forces” (aka greed). It will only attempt to catch up to the problem while cluttering up the city's boulevards with people-sized dog houses.In case you're wondering what became of my case against my former boss, I received a fact-finding hearing which he did not show up for. The labor board determined that his absence should entitle me to 3x my claimed damages. I had to wait for a final hearing. And I waited. It was only supposed to be a few weeks, but it wasn't until 2 years later that I received a notice that my final hearing was scheduled. By this time I was already packing to move out of the state. The hearing was scheduled for 2 months after I left LA. Since the California labor statistics showed that only 1/10 of the people who won their claims ever collected what was due them, and given my former boss's complete abdication of making good on his promises to pay me (remember, he could have done so any time in those 2 years), I realized the hearing was too little too late. There was no sense in returning to LA at my own expense to try and collect from such a deadbeat boss who had other judgments against him from vendors he hadn't paid and the state tax board he also hadn't paid. I couldn't see him paying me the $13,000 he would have owed me. Ultimately I had to just kiss that money goodbye.One other thing I have done as a result of my experience is to start a support page on Facebook called LARE - Los Angeles Renters Empowerment. The page offers advice gleaned from experience on combatting the wide range of landlord abuses, from the lies that are generated by the rental property industry to justify and maintain exorbitant rents, to tips on dealing with landlords, protecting your interests as a renter, the state of the homeless crisis, and more. There's even a form you can download and print out to bring to apartment viewings that will prevent the all too common bait and switch landlords often try to pull on unsuspecting prospective tenants. If that page can help prevent people from being taken advantage of in the Los Angeles rental market, or ANY rental market in the US, then I feel that I am giving something of value to my fellow community of renters.

The application should be the best place to start. What you ask for in the application is the key, and frankly, if I were you, I would immediately run to find an Apartment Association in your area who may help you with many of the items you will need to process the applications.This type of association is made to help landlords with a sharing of information and providing tools necessary in processing applications, like access to credit checks.I screened many applications for my past clients, and over the years, I only had one bad apple, out of maybe placing 20 to 25 renters.I also used the services of Westside Rentals in the greater Los Angeles area.

There are a number of agencies which assist with low-income housing and rent assistance. Remember that resources are limited and generally rely on donations. Low income, the elderly and the disabled take priority when it comes to receiving assistance.Northern Churches Care, 4210 Austin Bluffs Pkwy, phone number 227-7470. A large number and wide variety of emergency financial support and crisis support programs are administered to El Paso Colorado and Colorado Springs residents. The partnership of local churches can help with rental and other housing expenses, such as electric bills. Free legal advice for landlord – tenant issues can also be applied for.Holy Cross Lutheran ChurchPhone: 719-596-4387Address 1: 4125 Constitution Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909If you have a child around 18, then HCLC offers rent assistance if you need help and meet other criteria.Ecumenial Social Ministries – The main Housing Program provides services to prevent evictions and the resulting homelessness, with the goal of allowing families to remain in their homes. Low income, qualified clients are assisted with partial rental assistance. If you apply for rent help and are accepted, both debt and budget counseling workshops are a mandatory component of the housing assistance program. 201 N. Weber, 636-1916Community Action Agency – This non-profit can offer rent help only to residents "outside the city limits" of Colorado Springs. They refer qualified applicants to other charities and government programs such as ESM for in town rent needs. They can also help with utilities and heating for city residents. 722 S. Watsatch, dial 471-7870, hours 8 to 4:30 Mon thru Friday. The agency is formally known as Pikes Peak Community Action Agency.Salvation Army, located at 908 Yuma, phone 636-3891, can offer shelter and emergency rent help, as funding allows. Transitional housing units and cold weather, emergency shelters are also available in El Paso County.Westside Cares. Offers rent assistance to qualified low income families. Hours of the center include 9:30AM — 12:30PM (Mon. — Thurs.) and 5:00PM — 7:00PM (Thursday). 1930 W. Colorado Ave., 389-0759. Need to make an appointment for any type of rent or housing assistance. Dial (719) 389-0759Eastern El Paso Community Center – This non-profit provides coverage to the Eastern portion of the El Paso County outside city limits of Colorado Springs. Rent assistance and referrals are offered. There may also be no-interest loans for deposits and housing needs. The Center Address is 450 Colorado Ave, Calhan, Colorado 80808. Dial 719-347-2976.Billie Spielman Center / REACH Pikes Peak. Location is 312 S. Weber Street. Programs focus on Colorado Springs Westside residents. Dial 358-8396 for free food and other emergency aid, such as housing and rent. A combination of government grants and other private funds can be used for rental expenses or a security deposit for a new home.Colorado Springs Housing Authority - While there is almost always a waiting list, they administer section 8 in partnership with public housing authorities. This low income, rental assistance programs also relies heavily on federal government allotments. 719-387-6700El Paso County Colorado eviction prevention and rapid rehousing combines government grants, loans, and financial aid for paying rent as well as other bills. Tenants and the homeless in Colorado Springs can also apply for motel vouchers, security deposit programs, case management, and other temporary assistance programs for their rental costs. More El Paso County homeless prevention.Housing Access. Call 636-1916. This program run by the agency offers up to two months’ rent help.Colorado Springs, Economic Development Department, Housing and Community Development Division works with local non-profits, charities, and organizations to provide rental assistance to El Paso and Colorado Springs area from the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. Call (719) 385-5336.Silver Key. Numerous housing and other services are offered to persons 60 and older including assistance with paying rent, home maintenance and repair, etc. The focus is on senior citizens and their caregivers. Address 2250 Bott Ave., 632-1521Tri-Lakes Cares: Monument – Call 481-4864. The non-profit offers assistance to residents of the Tri - Lakes area. Limited hoursWalt Fortman Community Center, also known as Reaches Pikes PeakPhone number: 719-382-8515Address - 501 East Iowa, Fountain, CO 80817WFCC's Family Stabilization Services (FSS) can help with paying rent and other housing expenses such as repairs and household products.[1]Hope this helps.Footnotes[1] Colorado Springs rental assistance