Help queer artist secure permanent housing after bank levy

Help a Beloved Non-Binary Queer Artist secure permanent housing after surprise Bank Levy.

Edie Roberts is a beloved community-member and artist who recently lost $15,000 that they had saved to secure permanent housing after 2+ years of homelessness. A large portion of what was lost was a recent loan that Edie is still responsible for paying back.

In Oct. 2024, Edie woke up to the shock of seeing their bank accounts completely emptied. After the sudden death of their father in 2011, Edie’s family has been struggling with debts and getting themselves secured. Edie’s mom has suffered the most-- she went through a bankruptcy trial in which a dishonest lawyer assured her that all the debts could be erased and reset… but a few years later one of those debtors came back to continue garnishing her deli-counter wages. In the summer of last year, Edie’s mom lost her job at the deli counter and was unemployed for a few months. During this time, unbeknownst to anyone, the debt company filed a bank levy on Edie’s mom. Edie had their mom listed on their account so that they could more easily support her. This joint account had existed without problems for over ten years, until October of this year, when the bank levy was received and Edie’s account was drained of over $15,000 without notice.

Edie had been working to secure this money to “go home” as they would say. Working on a small beat-up cash house in Detroit that would hopefully be their safe space long overdue, a place to host friends and artists and activists from afar and to hopefully be their forever home. Edie has already invested a lot into the house. They put on a new roof and dug a new sewer line. They have redone a great deal of the infrastructure of the house, mostly by themselves, but this last push would be to redo the electrical and install an Hvac system to finish the space for actually living in.

After more than 2 years of homelessness, and the increasing threats on the people like Edie, they are in desperate need of a miracle to get back to the progress that will get them home. Their art and efforts are very important to many of us. Please consider donating or sharing this post if you are able.

There is so much need right now (and always) but your support means so much. Edie has given much to innumerable communities for 20+ years, and now they need our help. Thank you for reading.