Waiting for Housing

My name is Jill and I'm 27 years old. My 9 year old Daughter and I are homeless. We moved into a family shelter in July 2006. Not because of domestic violence or natural disaster but simply because I could no longer afford market rent no matter how hard I tried.

For me getting into a shelter was not the hard part, having to share a room with my 9 year old developing daughter was. My daughter is doing well now because she has started playing in a basketball league at the a local YMCA and will also be starting summer camp this July.

This was not the case two months ago. Due to the stress of living in one room I unfortunately had to put her in therapy. I try to tell myself that it is going to be OK but when I see how hard my daughter is taking us being homeless, I know for sure that it's not okay!

It's a big change for her to go from living with her mother and father in our own place, where she had her own room, to moving into a place that houses over 6o families, and having to share a room. In the last 8 months she has been sick 6 times and we have had to take many trips to the emergency room where they tell me she has caught a virus.

My daughter was diagnosed with ADD and received a warning that she may be kept back this year. She is now receiving lots of help from the school in math and reading. This will hopefully assist her in moving on to the next grade. Between her living situation and struggling with school my daughter is beginning to show signs of depression and social issues. Her social issues come from not being able to have friends over because we live in a shelter. How do you tell your daughter who wants to have a sleepover no!!!

As for myself, in November 2006 I made a life change and enrolled in Bryman Institute in the Medical Assistant training program. I am a hard working mother with goals in desperate need of a place to live.

Again, the date we moved into the shelter was July 2006. Today's date is March 28, 2007 and I am still homeless due to affordable housing not being available. I have done my part to try and obtain housing. I do everything in my power to improve my situation. I have filled out 85 applications but I am still homeless. I finally got an interview in the Worcester area; mind you I have lived in the Boston area all my life. My appointment was on March 8 and to date I am still homeless. I don't mind living in Worcester if it is available to me but why should I have to relocate my daughter to a community she is unfamiliar with. If there was more funding for MRVP, I would have a choice in where I would like to raise my daughter.

When I make follow up calls to housing departments I'm told there is an expected 5-10 year wait on the lists. Why? I can not begin to imagine waiting that long however I would have to work 3 jobs in order to pay market rent. Right now my only solution would be to get a housing subsidy like MRVP. Unfortunately it is under funded which makes it very hard to get one. Again, I say to you I have done all I can, and played by the rules. Isn't 8 months long enough to be homeless? Will you please help me with my situation and other people who are in similar situations by supporting funding for MRVP?

Comments

[just asking?]

My question is how much of what we are doing here,is actually going to benefit us in getting a job? Usually when you get a job the companies have a training of their own.