Section Two Affordable Housing Lottery Application: Fill & Download for Free

Qualifying is one thing, getting it is another thing altogether. The programs most people turn to on the Federal Level is section 8, rent subsidy. Being disabled will help you qualify, but that’s a small comfort when you realize that in most parts of the country, the wait lists for this program are very long. The government calls this an “Oversubscribed program” —I’m serious, and changing it is definitely not on the government’s to-do list. Another program includes housing projects consisting of rent subsidized apartments available for the elderly or disabled on low incomes…getting into one of these is subject to availability. Not all of them are necessarily bad placees to live, and for someone trying to live on a small disability check, getting into one of these apartment surely helps.Individual states may have their own program, and sometimes so do non-profit charitable organizations. You may want to contact your local independent Living Center for information relevant to your area. These are federally funded centers that help individuals with disabilities achieve independent living. They are often knowledgeable about opportunities opening up. Information on Independent Living Centers About Independent LivingTo illustrate the difficulty of obtaining a rent subsidy…Several years ago the state of New Jersey had 5,000 subsidies available for persons with disabilities. So anyone could apply…I am sure there were far more than 5,000 people in need; and these were given out by lottery. The last time the New Jersey’s state rental assistance program waiting list was open…was for just 5 days in 2017.More information on Section 8 eligibility. What is Section 8? What Are Housing Choice Vouchers? This site is very informative. I learned that if you’re willing to move, you can go to where a wait list is open to get a voucher, and once you’ve had one for a period of time, you can actually move with the voucher and it moves with you. I learned that sometimes even getting on the waiting list is hard. If you hear that a waiting list opens up, don’t delay. Sometimes a wait list opens for just one or two days. Again, I’m not making this up.Google “rent subsidies for the disabled” to find out if your state has a program. Your state might also have affordable housing that is easier to get into.A 2013 article that describes the difficulties facing this program that many hope to turn to. After six years, she finally got Section 8 housing — and then lost it | MinnPost It begins with one person’s story, and then explains the cuts this program has suffered.The best you can do is research and be alert to when wait lists open, and be diligent. Research all affordable housing options in your state. Having a disability will give you priority, but it’s still difficult. Research the qualifications for the program, meet the application deadlines, and check back with that office from time to time, if practical.

We're all tired of paying for rent. And for electric. And for phone. And for food. And for clothing. Well, you get the idea.However, in the U.S. you can get reduced housing under certain conditions and with a great deal of patience. It can sometimes take years before you're chosen. Most cities and counties have a housing authority where you can apply for Section 8 or Public Housing. You can find those in your area and get information on housing programs at Affordable Housing and Section 8 Waiting Lists Nationwide.But understand there are waiting lists and even if you get on a waiting list, it's not a first come first serve. Most of them choose the lucky recipients by lottery. As well, the larger the city/county, the more people apply. And applying doesn't guarantee you'll even get on the waiting list. In fact, they usually only open for applications to the waiting list once or twice a year for a day or two. Miss the window and you'll need to wait til they open for applications again.You must meet certain income limits too and/or be disabled and/or a veteran. I'm on SSDI and still can't afford even federal, state or city assisted housing alone. I have a roommate, but his income puts us over the income limit to qualify for most programs.I have applied to several waiting lists and only been accepted to one. I'm one of 3,000+ people on the list. And it's not in my area but across the state. You can apply to any waiting list, anywhere in the country. Of course if you get accepted you'll need to 1) get there for an interview and 2) arrange your own moving. So try not to look too far away from where you are nowAs for completely free... That's why there are so many homeless shelters. TANSTAAFL my friend. There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

Voters can change the law. There is a law that developers must make their new buildings have 3% affordable housing units in them or pay a small monetary fee. Two fold this adds to the systemic problem of segregating wealth from those who hardly have anything.First of all 3% of affordable units are based on total cost average of a buldings entire units. So if a buildings entire units range from $1800/mo. studio, $2800/mo. for 1 bedroom, and $3800/mo. for 2 bedroom and there are 100 units in the buulding; then there are 3 units that are considered affordable at $840/mo.Well lots of seniors, retirees, disabled persons, low income, people ineligible to work or be hired permanently for various reasons are living on anywhere from $0 no assistance at all; to $181 gov. cash assistance(welfare); to $771 (SSI) Social Security Disability; to $840 (SSDI) Social Security Disability (mentally disabled formerly working); to $1150 formerly workimg retired older senior citizens. There are a few variances to these calculations but this is the average range of low income people experiencing homelessness. And people's amounts are less or this low because of when they applied for these programs. For instance someone who is out of the workforce for 5years or more may lose their eligible work credits for having a higher amount of monthly income. And seniors have to pay healthcare costs, Medicare payments.So the 3 apartments at $840/mo which are by law/HUD- Housing & Urban Development, considered affordable, no one listed above can ACTUALLY afford $840/mo rent on their own. And waitlists for subsidy assistance like Section 8 (voucher stays w/single person or family w/ children, or HVP housing voucher program (voucher stays with the program or unit in that building until ineligible, sold or tore down).Section 8 lists have been closed for years, open intermittently for disabled or Veterans then sporadically a hundred to 1000 out of 10x that many applications are chosen by lottery and placed on a waitlist for 4-6 years.Before the homelessness crisis and after wave of 1980's construction boom: In 1994 a single parent w/ income in an apartment paying almost all their low income to rent had to wait 8 years on a Section 8 list. And then they got anywhere from $50-$250 assistance to help pay rent. Most persons are thankful for any help. And assistance paid most of the rent if a person lost their job, but it was limited to low income federal poverty maximum rent limits which were extremely lower than most rents landlords charged even way back then.So now that the system is explained lets get to the why you see homeless on the street and why the epidemic is growing.Various scenarios why people become homeless:Domestic violence victim, DV victim that stood up to perpetrator, a landlord or family member gets sick or dies, families sell homes or buildings to developers (think beach bungalows to condo high rises on Alki/Harbor Avenues), gentrification in minority neighborhoods, having a misdemeanor or felony conviction, mass incarceration, war on drugs, WMD expenditures costing taxpayers, greed of any person who has property, (this is why the Viaduct is Viadoom, because wealthy real estate interests on waterfront want a park like NYC — Seattle got a ferris wheel because other cities had one- same for elevated park hence toll $$ tunnel low income and middle class cannot afford to get to work/I-405 & I-520 nightmare), mental instability of a person who has been abused, persons not taught to budget money don't pay their rent first, or pay it late, then allowed fees stack up which compound the situation, lack of being parented, lack of experience living independently, lack of family ties or relationship with family, Rx drug addictions after work related accidents, illicit drug addiction, Big Pharma, a system that punishes persons trying to help themselves get off assistance, fraud, bank scandal foreclosures, etc… and on & onEveryone is one paycheck from homelessness. Especially if they have no savings. A divorce, relationship ends, a court case, person is incarcerated wrongfully or rightfully, job loss, made more money than poverty level but expenses like daycare or food, toiletries etc are not factored in by state/federal assistance, landlord raised rents become higher than federal allowable maximum, technology and construction boom people come here from elsewhere for opportunity not understanding cost of living in Seattle or of our economy, legalized drugs bring tourists and new residents, all competing for housing which is no longer available neither built or affordable.In strictly low income buildings, management companies often are not fair in assessing situations. A false complaint turns into a 3 day notice, 3– 3 day notices turn into an eviction. So nasty neighbors, who are usually the ones breaking the rules will make false statements to management because a good neighbor resident told management a truthful statement about drug use or drunkeness, etc. A person vandalizes your car, you curse, you get a 3 day notice… this is how good citizens become homeless.Look at Newspaper Articles 2017-2018 on low income agencies like Solid Ground (conveniently left out of articles) who hired Mercy Housing Management, who is abusing the rights of leasees by threatening evictions on incidents where there is proof otherwise and the person should not be evicted. Once an eviction, called Unlawfull Detainer, is on your record, No Landlord Ever will rent to that person. Or a landlord that will will leverage a leasee with that info. Or landlords that straight up break the law and refuse accepting Section 8 voucher, even from a good single parent that's been employed for years.People who paid their rent in cash, didn’t keep or get receipts have been legally evicted when an Employee stole their money…so evicted for paying their rent No Proof so ‘Poof’, now you are homeless. It happens. Others keep every receipt ever for 25+ years.Now you see the homeless on the street. Save a few who don't like the government or the mountain of painstaking paperwork to do to get housing, or gov. assistance (Think Vietnam Veteran) who don't want a handout either. Understandable as paperwork is a necessary but always resisted ‘Trigger of Trauma’ which forces a person to relive a past that was extremely painful or memories of families split up (old address) and bring it front and center essentially undoing all the years of ‘stuffing’ those memories and feelings away to have moved on. So now Start Over. FRUSTRATION.And those that have addiction issues, drugs, alcohol etc… Can't be in certain shelters if you are doing drugs, keeping or waking people up all night, stealing from other homeless, not following rules, assaulting others, police being called, using while at shelter, … eventually being booted from every possible shelter available. Therefore tent life is last option of consequences, save a few loners who don’t use but are introverts who have had everything stolen.Homeless persons spend much of the day being homeless, everything is sign up and wait. Some days it takes all day to get a shower, do laundry, carry bags of personal items, use a bathroom, wait for food to be prepped and served, meet with over burdened case managers, many of whom don't understand the crisis or don't know programs/contacts witthin their own organizations nor others. Agencies compete for money. Shelters compete for money. Accountability is low but the fallout either way is the damage to the clients. Clients will lose and it's usually the good ones.Another aspect is that some poeple CHOOSE to be homeless. Yes I said that! This can be a good thing. Like when you can't escape a bad neighbor, or bad boyfriend or even a bad landlord or bad management company. Or the negative, persons who choose to drink and do drugs, want to sleep with their signifavant other or just don’t want to be in a shelter because of the drama, but choose to stay at camp so his stuff is not stolen. Essentially resistent to help, to leaving for showers sake, and from fear of losing the last few things he has to hold onto albeit sanity.Some people eventually come out of camping because of health crisis, trip to hospital or stay, city cleanup took belongings, or all stuff was stolen, or had acquired all stolen stuff, vehicle not working, etc.And as long as society lumps in homeless with addicted homeless, the crisis will grow. As long as Trauma is never treated and caused by government, change will not occur. People cause trauma to others then the systems re-traumatizes them. That’s why the resistence has grown and people don't want help.And to note, placing people who don't drink and don't do drugs with those that do only allows for perpetuation of the problem. People who don't use are more likely to begin using. Addicted people don't become non-addicts by hanging around non-addicts. However after many sleepless nights non addicts may want to start experimenting. Sad fact. Few are strong enough to resist it when they have lost everything.So now to how to help: Change laws. Become involved. Vote, Blog. Raise awareness. Have conversations. Be a solution. Lock your stuff up tight so it's not stolen and sold for drugs. Help abolish Big Pharma. Give socks and underwear, blankets to shelters. Help build affordable housing. Recycle, Compost as much as possible. Reuse or donate to St. Vincent du Paul, Senior Ctr stores, places that give nack thru eviction prevention or housing retention to stay hpused or get into housing. Help force City to lower electricity and Utility costs for housed persons so there is not more homeless people, seniors or disabled, mentally ill persons out in the street. Force city to put porta potties around, or build staffed public bathrooms and real housing. Petition for a drug/alcohol free working persons shelter where a working person can shower, do laundry, cook/eat and sleep safely 24/7 so they can stay employed or in training, save money, work a night job, or start work at early am time, with a realistic time lomit and priority for housing lists. Help those helping themselves first (the man in ditch w/ his hand out needing help, a biblical story about helping one's self so others will help you- everyone is deserving of help)Overall we need Rent Control which preserves certain affordable housing into the future like NYC. People should have voted for Jon Grant who knew the homelessness crisis. Perhaps he should have ran for Mayor. Perhaps I will.Not everybody is happy with outcomes. However even homeless people don't like seeing tents and trash all over the city, people sleeping in doorways or heroin addicts in toilet stalls, or smelling pot or cigarettes walking down the street behind a stinky smoker (just another although employed addicted person).Compassion goes a long way. If we stop and see most homeless are from here. However raise residency standard to 5yrs. Then you are preserving resources for eligible citizens here and not for newcomers. Sounds heartless I know, but when resources run out or dry up, people do as well. Those will think twice before coming here. They will leave even quicker.Our climate is milder so homeless can survive camping in tents. We could just take old buildings and make cubicles staffed by trained navigation systems persons so no more tents are on the street. Liability waivers can be signed. There is a way to fix this. It can be done. And it can be done without violation of rights.Seattle has a compounded history of doing things wrong again and again, not just with homelessness, but with everything.