So does Section 8 even *exist* anymore?

I have called every agency and contact in the Bridgeport, Ct. area on behalf of an indigent relative... disabled Vietnam-era Navy vet with *zero* income and savings... for housing help and it's all... NO, NO , NO, NO and "are you serious?"

So I guess the plan is... let him sleep under a bridge?

Is this a regional thing? The caseworkers in BPORT tell me that there is no more federal money for Section 8 and subsidized housing has long waiting lists... if they even HAVE a waiting list. Is this true across the country?

He had a near fatal stroke two years ago and will probably be dead by then. This is the "shining city on a hill"?


Anyone have any ideas?

They figure you should make it on your own.

Home is where you go where they have to take you in....

That's the way it was in the old days--no longer, though...

Dunno if this list is helpful, but there may be a nugget in there: http://grunt.space.swri.edu/vetorgs.htm

Good luck, it's certainly not an easy situation.

I give it a closer look tomorrow. Thanks.

Navy Vet VA Housing is the place to call Look your local VA benefits phone number up . Tell them your problem. They should help if not local Vets org DAV is the best

He received a small stipend for two mos. from CT VA but then capped-out and that was it for the year.

I've called devery Vet org in the state and they just give me #s for gov't agencies.

WDoc196@aol.com Tell Rick about what you need. Rick is VVA tell him Monkeyman asked him to help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_8_(housing)
<In many localities, the waiting lists for Section 8 vouchers may be thousands of families long, waits of 3 to 5 years to access vouchers are not unusual, and many lists are closed to new applicants.>

Are there any income based apartments in the area?
What kind of shape is he in health wise? Maybe an assisted living arangement would suit him?

>>>Are there any income based apartments in the area?
What kind of shape is he in health wise? Maybe an assisted living arangement would suit him?>>>

.... the lists are closed.

He's unemployable according to VA. He can speak communicatively and makes a certain amount of sense. He has ST memory damage which makes it impossible to learn new things and operate technological gizmos. His reading comp was also effected.

He was able to walk pretty well but broke his foot last week and is... temporarily, I hope... on crutches.

Assisted living would be great ( that's *exactly* the level of support he needs) but it's hugely expensive here ... NYC ... and I assume in CT as well.

http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/resources/links.html

http://www.ct.gov/dss/cwp/view.asp?a=2353&q=305218

Good luck in your search. :hug:

I imagine that's about average.

My friend recieves section 8 her daughter(my god daughter) has severe
cerebral palsey and will always be 6 months old developmentally.

I'm not sure who else qualifies for it as I'm not versed on that.

It's still very alive. The city population couldn't exist without it. It's the buckle of the Rust Belt!

and see ads for 'section 8' such as this one:
BEVERLY 2 bedroom, hardwood floors, deleaded, laundry hook-up, parking, no pets, section 8 approved, June 1st. $1150 + 978-927-9335
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/
fairly often..., but I don't know what that means. There is a housing authority?..also.

... top be eligible for things like that and that's the catch 22.

They're not *approving* anyone. In BPORT, anyway. Or so they say.

you're only covered on alternate days of the week, when the sun's out...., sad. We lost the home we rented and all our possessions last year in a flood. While it took a good deal of time, we did get help from FEMA. It seems to get help from any government agency, or any business for that matter..you have to dog them relentlessly and not except no for an answer. It's a full time job. There are lawyers that do SSI cases, who take a percentage of the settlement. That may be the way to go.

He should be entitled to SOMETHING income-wise.

Have you tried these?

http://www.dav.org/cst/index.html

http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/about/hudvet/state/

VA Community Care Center Veterans Homeless Outreach
(203) 931–4034
114–52 Orange Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516

If you have and even they can't help then I don't understand what they're THERE for.

I feel your frustration. All of our vets should be treated a damned sight better than they are.

VA benefits hinge on the size of the SSI stipend.

He was turned down for SSI 'cause at the end of the qualifying process the claims processor called him direct ( remember he's brain damaged and was even more disoriented then than he is now) and asked him how he had been paying his rent.

He told the guy he had something like 20,000 cash. (This was after his relatives paying his rent for 6 mos. !) The SSA denied the claim. We appealed the denial but no one knows what happened to the appeal decision.. The claimant says he never saw it... but remember, he's not functioning at full mental capacity and is extremely disorganized.

We finally got an appt for SSI reapplication this Friday. I'm going with him. Perhaps we will find out about the appeal.

In any case, the SSI stipend is likely to be quite small... even if he does get it. It also may come thru sometime after the rapture.

He needs help *now*.

I'm sure you're none too pleased with the "assistance" either. Bureaucracies!! They treat everyone like they should fit into a neat little paragraph in a human resources manual, and anyone who doesn't (most everyone) is screwed.

Anyway, fingers crossed, I hope Friday works out for you both. SSI might not be much but any little bit will be of help until somebody helps you work out a decent place for him to stay. If you don't get satisfaction, take it to your state rep!!

He can't figure out how to activate it... it's a pin# type dealie. I will try to figure it out when I see him on Fri.

This page describes how to use the card and when benefits become available each month (1st, 2nd or 3rd of the month depending on the first letter of last name):

http://www.ct.gov/dss/cwp/view.asp?a=2349&q=304628

As for activating it, seems from my quick troll around the nets that he'll just need to call and supply his card number, SSN and birthdate, then tell them what four number pin he wants to use. Hopefully he's able to remember a pin?

You see in this society, Males aren't entitled for help. It's wrong, but that's the way it is.

I hate to suggest this & I do not know if it will work...But, in MA, I know of families who have gone into homeless shelters to get expedited on the list for housing assistance (live in shelters, stay for a few months & they help them get into permanent housing). I have no idea how it works in Ct. Call your local Veteran's Assistance Group or maybe the Social Work section of a VA hospital. What about medical assisted living communities or Veteran's Homes (sounds like he could use medical care)...

Good luck & I am very sorry

... after we meet with SSA tomorrow to find out about SSI. There's a jurisidcitional qiuestion also: he's in Ct. the rest of us are in NYC area.
If he gets some kind of subsidized housing I'd prefer it down here so I don't have to travel far in an emergency.

Also Assited Living facilities tend to be mad expensive around here, but you're right that he needs some level of medical supervision.

Gotten worse with Bush for sure, but there has always been at least year long waiting lists for housing assistance. It isn't even occuring to people that we're going to have a surge of homeless boomers too, as we get old and can't work.

There are some new homeless programs in some parts of the country that put people in housing first, then work on the other issues.

Maybe you could see about starting one in Bridgeport, and get your relative help that way. I'll be glad to help find the pilot programs and who's doing the funding, if you want to contact local people to get it going.

We'll see what happens with that...

I have problems working at McJobs full time to make ends meet while I go to college because of my Asperger's Syndrome, so the government pays for 2/3 of my rent. But, yes, the waiting lists are hell.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Sapphire%20Blue/118


More here: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/?az=archives&j=70&page=8 & here: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/?az=archives&j=70&page=10 & all through here: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Sapphire%20Blue

that are section 8. So far no one has lasted in them longer than 6 months in them. Usually arrested for Meth or child abuse.........no kidding....not judging the people, but every adult in the two houses has been led away by HPD........

>>>Yeah I got 2 houses on my block here in Hawaii

that are section 8. So far no one has lasted in them longer than 6 months in them. Usually arrested for Meth or child abuse.........no kidding....not judging the people, but every adult in the two houses has been led away by HPD........>>>

Hawaii , yet! Sounds like paradise.

I'll tell him to start packing.

:-)

He could move here. :shrug:

and you are right - its a federal program and there have been deep cuts and funding formula changes over the past 6 years that have reduced the ability of new applicants to get vouchers. Tenants who have vouchers and are on assistance have not been impacted as much as people needing assistance.

Housing agencies like the one I work for have had to close the Section 8 waiting list because of the lack of money.

I've worked in the assisted housing area for years and here are my suggestions:

- first, obviously he needs income & it sounds like your working on that with appealing his SSI decision - follow up on that, it sounds like he's eligible and when that determination if finally made he will be entitled to a retro-active lump-sum payment from the day he first applied.

- a person receiving SSI or SS disability is automatically income eligible for all housing programs, which target assistance towards certain groups of people > low income elderly, disabled and families with dependent children.

- the thing with Section 8 is to find an agency that has a waiting list that is OPEN- you may be discovering that many are closed. This is a lot of legwork with phone calls, a housing advocate may be able to help here. Once you find an agency with an open list- get an application from them, no matter where the agency is located. The Section 8 program is a 'mobile' tenant based program, a voucher holder can go anywhere and get assistance.

- Find a local community agency that can verify his homeless situation. for instance a social worker, a local veteran's organization, a shelter- here in my area the Salvation Army staff writes up verifications of homelessness that we use to give people a PRIORITY ON THE WAITING LIST FOR HOMELESSNESS. This would increase the likelihood of him getting a Section 8 voucher sooner than later - there are preferences for homelessness usually.

- check with housing agencies if there are any shelter-plus-care facilities in your area, which are usually single-room-occupancy but have support staff available. Here we have an SRO that is federally funded- for men with substance abuse problems who are chronically homeless.

Housing programs are a maze to sort through and can be quite confusing. I applaud your efforts to help your relative - another hint- if he does apply to a program, make sure that agency has any change of address - that is the biggest reason for people not getting Section 8 when their name does come to the top - the letter come back from the post office.

One more thing- in Mass. single people who are waiting on SSI appeals can qualify for a small stipend through the local DTA office (formerly the welfare office now called the Department of Transitional Assistance). its not much $$ but it will increase the chance of your relative getting housing assistance.

good luck!

>>>- Find a local community agency that can verify his homeless situation. for instance a social worker, a local veteran's organization, a shelter- here in my area the Salvation Army staff writes up verifications of homelessness that we use to give people a PRIORITY ON THE WAITING LIST FOR HOMELESSNESS. This would increase the likelihood of him getting a Section 8 voucher sooner than later - there are preferences for homelessness usually.>>>

I can't see allowing him to be literally 'homeless'. If he's crashing on my living room floor with his belongings in storage... might that circumstance qualify as 'homeless' for the above purposes?

Thanks again for taking the time to respond so comprehensively.

:kick:

:hi: Please check your PM.

this means a professional third-party source, on letterhead. for instance Community Action Program, local charity group, social worker.

I would have to say that 3/4s of the people on our housing waiting lists are crowded in with family members, very sad situation, but without the '3rd party professional' verification of homelessness we would not give them a priority for being homeless.

The key would be to find a local professional who is familiar with the circumstances who could write a convincing letter supporting his claim of homelessness, to attach with his application.

again, good luck to you and to your relative.