HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION

An Almoner's Story: A $550 grant prevents homelessness.

George is a likeable, soft spoken and cooperative 60 year old man with developmental disabilities who lived with his mother until she died last year.
 
George loves animals, and after his mother's death, he allowed his pets — guinea pigs, rabbits, iguanas and other reptiles — to roam freely in the apartment.  As a result, his landlord brought a nuisance suit against the family, declaring the premises uninhabitable.

George's life revolves around work and home — familiar surroundings that provide him with comfort and stability. Because of his mental disabilities and lifetime dependence on his mother, George did not know how to ask for help. He didn't open the legal notices he received or seek legal representation. Instead, he cleaned the apartment as best he could and hoped the problem would go away.

Unfortunately, George's failure to answer the legal notices resulted in his eviction. When he told me what happened, I made an appointment with a psychiatrist for George and accompanied him to the doctor, who explained that George's mental impairments made it difficult for him to recognize the connection between the deplorable condition of the apartment and his eviction.

I worked closely with George and his landlord to try to return George to his home, and after many months, reached a settlement. George's landlord will move George and his possessions (except for the animals, now at a nature reserve) into a renovated studio apartment in the same building complex where he has lived all his life. In exchange, George must pay for a heavy duty cleanup of this original apartment, which is expected to take 2-3 days. He must also hire a housekeeper to clean the apartment at least once a month.

Although George has a full-time job, he makes only about $12 an hour and lives from paycheck to paycheck. He cannot afford to keep his part of the agreement without help.

I gave George a Havens grant of $550 to cover the cost of heavy-duty cleaning for his original apartment, and helped him hire a housekeeper, who he can afford to pay out of his earnings. George is delighted with his new, clean and orderly studio apartment, and continues to go to work every day.

Note: for confidentiality, names have been changed and photo does not depict the actual people discussed here.