Help us keep our new home

I am really reluctant to ask for help this way, but I'm finding myself in a dire situation... I'm in a huge fight, to keep this new rental home I have been in for a few months now, against the Oceanside Housing Authority over an un-permitted "addition", which is simply an enclosed sunroom.

I have been on the Section 8 program for some years, and it I'm able to have my rent subsidized while I pay roughly 30% of what my income is. As an artist, and person with a disability, that has been invaluable. I was in a granny flat in the city for the past 10 years, and have been trying to move back to Oceanside for more than 6 of those years. It was increasingly challenging for me to live in with my wheelchair, there were hostile neighbors, I was hit by a car...it was time. But the rental market has been crazy, the prices, competition, so there was a massive amount of rejection.

I finally found this little home in an over 55 development, and it was practically perfect, the owner had married a man in a wheelchair, so had put in some ramps and widened doorways. It seemed meant to be. In particular, I yearned to get back to doing painting, and this house had an enclosed sunroom...I could get back to doing my oil painting of animals.

I was ecstatic that I was approved to rent it, and gave notice, did the paperwork for the Housing Authority, paid deposit and first months out of pocket, and moved in. Things went downhill from there.

They don't start rent until it passes their inspection, and that didn't happen until November, 3 months later because of the red tape. I had already had to pay $10K from savings and going in debt for rent, as they don't cover it retroactively. This makes no sense.

The home passed wonderfully- except at the end, the sunroom was called into question as an unpermitted addition. I was told that is not allowed, so they would have to look into it. This took the past month, with no communication, just leaving me hanging and freaking out. Then I got a call finally.

They decided they will not approve the home...

The only option is for it to get a permit after the fact, an exemption, or be torn down. None of which are timely, or even feasible.

It's not right that this has dragged on since starting the process way back in July. It should take just the 30 days, but they have thrown so many roadblocks. The very program that exists to help people not be homeless, is causing that to happen to me. On the holidays. There is literally nowhere else for me to go.

That hurts losing that much money, that I had long saved for training of my dogs, as we do dog sports, as well as service dog training. And a cushion for vet emergencies that always seem to happen at the worst possible time...

It's been a rough time of it, and I have been hammered. So much so that my life could be a country song! The same day they pulled the rug out from under me, my pet insurance denied a claim for my little guy's broken tooth, based on pretty outrageous reasons, and that was $1200 gone. Someone hit and ran my van door, and now I'm stuck with the deductible and can't yet afford to fix it. And I've been fighting all the past year with insurance over my lemon of a wheelchair to get a replacement.

I'm used to fighting, I have my whole life. I'm sure I will find some way to figure this out, but I sure hope I don't have to leave here.

This place is worth it, I'm safe, it's so much easier for me, and great for the dogs here.

If you can spare anything to help keep us in this home, as I continue to have to pay out of pocket while this is figured out. The rent is $2850 so pretty big ouch.

I have contacted representatives and even hoping the news maybe will cover it. I'm used to fighting, and I won't give up!