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Disabled Senior Looking For Housing, Not Having Any Luck

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Disabled Senior Looking For Housing, Not Having Any Luck

To make a long story as short as possible, I'll be turning 59 in a few weeks, I've been collecting SSDI since 2012, and I have not held a job since 2010.  Additionally, I have a full scale IQ of 82, and I've been diagnosed with dyslexia, dyscalculia, Asperger's, and I maybe a high functioning schizophrenic.  However, on the plus side, I do not smoke, I do not drink, I do not take drugs.

 

Also, when I went on Social Security Disability Insurance back in 2012, my wife and I moved overseas, due to the fact that we could not find any affordable housing in the US.  However, recently I was forced to return to the US, due to an emergency, and now, for the past two months I've been sleeping on random couches, in the Sacramento, California area, as I search for a new place to live.

 

My problem is that my learning disabilities seem to be making it difficult for me comprehend all of the various agencies, and on top of that, there seems to be a fair amount of scammers out there who are willing to take advantage of people in a situation like mine. 

 

Also, I've tried contacting various non-profit agencies, including 211, but the only thing they do is hand you a packet full of 1-800 telephone numbers for shelters and low income housing, but whenever I call the 1-800 numbers, the person on the other end of the line always says that they have a one to two year waiting list, and there is nothing they can do to help me.  (Why do these non-profit agencies exist, when the only thing they can do is give out useless lists of 1-800 numbers?)

 

So, I've heard vague rumors about programs such as "Section 811 Supportive Housing For Persons With Disabilities" but when I try to look into such programs, I cannot seem to find a point of contact.  

 

I really don't want to be homeless at my age, but it seems that no one is doing anything to help, I cannot work anymore, and I can see the gutter looming bigger and bigger in my future. 

 

Any advice greatly appreciated. 

 

 

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Regular Contributor

Well, this is not very encouraging at all.  

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Also, I wanted to add that I attempted to contact my state representative twice, but they never returned my phone calls. 

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Anonymous
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@EricW236758 wrote:

Also, I wanted to add that I attempted to contact my state representative twice, but they never returned my phone calls. 


👋Have you contacted your local media (TV, newspaper,radio stations) @EricW236758 ? Sometimes they will do a story about your situation and readers will contact them to offer help. Maybe someone will have housing you can afford. I lived in a homeless shelter for 13 long months in my 60's July 2017 to August 2018. Lots of hugs and luv!

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I did try contacting a reporter at a mid-sized newspaper, but he wasn't interested in hearing my story over the phone, and the told me to send him an email.  I sent him an email, but never heard anything back.  These days California is pretty much a one party system, and unless a story has to do with Covid or Trump, it seems as though they just aren't interested. 

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Anonymous
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@EricW236758 wrote:

I did try contacting a reporter at a mid-sized newspaper, but he wasn't interested in hearing my story over the phone, and the told me to send him an email.  I sent him an email, but never heard anything back.  These days California is pretty much a one party system, and unless a story has to do with Covid or Trump, it seems as though they just aren't interested. 



👋I am in Virginia @EricW236758 now but struggled for several years in Florida. California seems to be like Florida = popular. I do miss my only child in Florida and undecided if I want to move back. Have you considered another US state?

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Well, at this point I don't even have a way to get myself to another state, even if I happen to find a place live over there. Right now I'm relying upon my own feet and public transportation to get around, and I'm more or less living check to check without any savings. 

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Anonymous
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@EricW236758 wrote:

Well, at this point I don't even have a way to get myself to another state, even if I happen to find a place live over there. Right now I'm relying upon my own feet and public transportation to get around, and I'm more or less living check to check without any savings. 


👋 Hi @EricW236758 , if I ask any questions you donot want to answer, just let me know 🙃 (1) Are you staying somewhere SAFE? (2) Are you able to get FREE bus tickets? Right NOW, housing is ridiculous, so I am WAITING until things begin to DECREASE 🙄 Meanwhile, I TRY to work on my goals. I want to rent a Tiny Cottage in the country. Seems IMPOSSIBLE right now (in a CUTE Studio Apt since leaving homeless shelter August 2018). Some days I want to stay in the bed 😭 But others, I am HOPEFUL. You guys WILL be okay!!! NEVER give up on SHARING your life story. Lol, I luv to chat and over the years things worked out in MY FAVOR because I chatted about my life and goals. And LISTENED to strangers while standing in line. Lol, hey, got to beat the BOREDOM in those famous TOO long lines 🤣😂 It is great that you are sharing with us @EricW236758 🙃

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(1) Are you staying somewhere SAFE?  Well, I'm in the South Sacramento area, which is kind of a high crime area.  Also, at night, I'm staying in studio belonging to a relative of mine, both he and his girlfriend have bad substance abuse issues.  I mean bad.  Also, while I'm being allowed to sleep here, I'm not allowed to hang around during the day when the rental office is open.  Also, on more than one occasion money has disappeared from my suitcase / wallet.  I suspect that my relative's girlfriend is not such an honest person. 

 

(2) Are you able to get FREE bus tickets? I haven't heard of such a program with the Sacramento Rapid Transit, and thus far I've been paying full price which is $2.50 for a one way ride.  

 

Right NOW, housing is ridiculous - Not only is housing completely ridiculous, but the streets of Sacramento are completely inundated with homeless people, and the government isn't doing anything to address the issue.  These nonprofit agencies don't do anything when you call them, and the people answering the phones there are often very rude and disrespectful.  The cost of housing keeps going up and up, the government likes the higher taxes, but in the meanwhile, people are dying on the streets.  - This is a completely horrible situation, and I'm beginning to thing that maybe I might have been better off if I would have remained in the Philippines, where I had been living during the past eight or nine years. 

 

 

 

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Anonymous
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Hi @EricW236758 tears are in my eyes as I read your responses to my questions 😭 I totally identify with the environment you are now living in. Did it for the 13 months I was living in the homeless shelter. Hmmm, what would it take to return to where you were or is that no longer an option?

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what would it take to return to where you were or is that no longer an option?

 

Well, at the very least I'd have to repay the $1,100 I borrowed from the US State Dept. when they repatriated me back to the US. (I came back to the US under an emergency situation back on August 1 of this year).  Also, I guess that I would need to find out if it is even possible to fly back to the Philippines with the Covid lockdown still going full tilt over there. 

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Anonymous
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@EricW236758 wrote:

what would it take to return to where you were or is that no longer an option?

 

Well, at the very least I'd have to repay the $1,100 I borrowed from the US State Dept. when they repatriated me back to the US. (I came back to the US under an emergency situation back on August 1 of this year).  Also, I guess that I would need to find out if it is even possible to fly back to the Philippines with the Covid lockdown still going full tilt over there. 


👋Hi @EricW236758 those sound like 2 things you can check on! All it takes sometimes is a TINY step. Hmmm, maybe they would consider WAIVING or allowing you to REPAY as you can. No pressure, but I think it is worth exploring these 2 things 😉 As far as the virus, all we can do is PLAN while we wait it out. But check and see what they have to say. Right now Virginia USA where I am has INCREASED numbers 😤

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