TL:DR:

Hi, my name is Lucas. I'm 23 and a queer, trans man living in Middle Tennessee. My roommate moved out without paying her portion of the bills, and I've been served with a notice to pay $700 by May 22nd and $1,000 by June 1st or vacate the unit. I have no family, and my friends aren't in positions to help. I don't have anywhere to go, not even a car, so if I lose this apartment, I will be homeless. I have been doing everything in my power to fix this myself, but I'm drowning. This is my only hope. Please consider donating or sharing. Thank you.

Normally, I would never be asking for help like this, especially so publicly, but I have no other choice. I have to come up with $700 by May 22nd, and then, $1,000 by June 1st to avoid being evicted. If I lose this apartment, I will have no place to go. Me and my pets will be out on the streets without a car or even a tent to sleep in. I'm working a full time job and applying for second ones every day, but I'm just a little over my head right now. Here's why:

In mid March, my ex moved out of our shared apartment giving me little notice and only roughly two weeks to find a new roommate. I posted about this in many local Facebook groups in hopes to find someone as soon as possible, but all it really did was put an even bigger target on my back. Transphobic, violent comments. Death threats. Even local, in-person meetings at various organizations were talking about me. With all of this happening, it made me scared of even the people inquiring about the unit that seemed genuine. Were they genuine, or were they planning to harm me?

Luckily, someone I thought was one of my best friends at the time needed an apartment. I knew she was safe, so I agreed to let her move in provided that she secure a job (or two) and pay her portion of the bills. I helped her get a job and covered all the bills in the meantime, relying on the promise she made to pay her portion as soon as possible. She never made true on that promise. In fact, on multiple occasions, she used the money she promised me for others things for herself (Pokémon cards, her boyfriend's car, vapes, etc), leaving us both facing the rent payments with only my paychecks (which aren't large at only $12/hr).

At this point, I was able to speak with the landlord, and she was sympathetic and agreed to be late for the month of April given that I pay on time in May. Throughout April, my ex-friend would promise me money to pay the landlord and then never deliver, leaving me facing being late again on May 1st.

At this time, I asked her to be out by the 1st of May because I could not allow her to continue to treat me like this because I realized the game she was playing. She was using me. I found out via the landlord that she lied to me about putting her name on the lease in the first place, basically relieving her of any financial responsibility with the landlord as my name is the only one on the lease now. When I asked her to leave, she agreed to pay me the rest of what she owes me as her paychecks come throughout the month(s) until it's paid off. Once again, lies.

Last night, May 12th, I received a notice from my landlord dated May 8th informing me that I have 14 days from the date of the notice (so until May 22nd) to pay my outstanding balance of $700 or vacate the unit. The notice also took away the previous grace period of 6 days for monthly payments and requires me to pay $1,000 by the 1st of each month or vacate the unit.

I need help. I am working myself to the bone to keep myself afloat, but things keep happening that set me back further. I have no blood family, and the friends I consider family aren't in positions to help. If I lose this apartment, I lose everything, and I'm terrified. I am doing absolutely everything in my power to fix this mess, but I'm drowning.

If you can't donate, please share this. Thank you for reading.