 Up Close
Rapid Rehousing success in Livermore
Earlier this year, Carol and her two children, Stephanie age 12 and David, age 8, found themselves fleeing their home to escape domestic abuse. They moved into a motel in Livermore. While Carol worked two jobs, her income couldn’t cover the nightly cost of the room and food for her and her two children. After 2 ½ months in the motel, Carol ran out of money and the family moved into her truck.
Fortunately, she heard about the Priority Home Program and called 211 the day it opened. Through the program’s rapid rehousing component she was able to move her family into a two bedroom apartment, blocks from her children’s schools, the week before Thanksgiving. The program paid her deposit and will provide her a small rental subsidy until child support starts in February. It has also helped her to access benefits, such as food assistance, until her income increases next year.
With a total of four months support, Carol and her children will be back on their feet and able to afford their two bedroom townhome apartment. Stephanie, age 12, says it is so great to have an apartment and be “normal again.” Carol is confident that with this assistance she can make it on her own.
|
 |
Feature
Angel's Poem
This poem was part of an advocacy piece presented at the Berkeley Housing Element’s June meeting. EveryOne Home board member, Jill Dunner in partnership with YEAH! (Youth Engagement, Advocacy and Housing) expressed the need for affordable housing in the extremely-low-income range.
"Ages and ages of hurt on these pages
Distorting the figures of idols in places
And the fact that they're streetless
And I'm carless and homeless
Somehow I'm cold, vile and ruthless
Know I'm not dissin' for those who might listen
But these are the things that need to get written
And if you should find you're a tad bit offended
Then baby look around and pay more attention
Open your eyegates and tune in your ears
This is the shit that's been at me for years
The kids nowadays, oh look how they've changed
What was done to us then is the rage on this page
And then they conflict
Say that I contradict
Because I like to smoke, get high and get lit
What you do in your house, what you do in your home
No one knows about you when you're on the phone
No privacy, 24 hour watchin' me
No publicity for my right to privacy?..."
 Read complete poem
EveryOne Home would like to thank the following contributors for making this issue possible:
Angel, Sage Foster, and Katharine Gale. If you would like to contribute in a future newsletter, please contact EveryOne Home at everyonehome@acgov.org. |
