I’m a 27-year-old single mother with a 5-year-old daughter. I was working with a community resource agency to obtain rental assistance through a state-funded program. As the application deadline approached, I spoke with my caseworker to ensure all paperwork was completed and that I had fulfilled my end of the requirements. She confirmed everything was in order and gave me the green light. However, my caseworker neglected to submit the necessary paperwork, which prevented the application from being sent out and processed.

At the same time, my landlord remained silent about the unpaid rent, despite knowing I was enrolled in the program. Four months passed without any communication from either my caseworker or my landlord, so I had assumed everything was good to go and the rent was being paid. Until I received a text from my landlord informing me that I had not paid rent for four months and owed $3,274. This prompted me to contact my caseworker, who revealed that she had forgotten to submit the paperwork. She then submitted the application, only to discover that the Rent Help program had ended due to depleted funds. Consequently, they could only assist with a portion of the outstanding amount, which has been increasing as time goes on.

UPDATE: The Rent Help program paid $2,374 however they did not pay any of the additional late fees that have accrued which was only 2 1/2 months…

AMOUNT STILL OWED: $2,550

I’ve reached out to various community resources, but my applications have all been denied due to not having a formal eviction within the courts, which is what I’m trying to avoid at all costs. I am actively searching for higher-paying jobs and have utilizing all of the resources that have been provided for assistance, but I’ve been unsuccessful in obtaining any help.

At this point, I’m at a loss and unable to have an eviction on my record. The past few years have been incredibly challenging for my daughter and me. We’ve faced numerous hardships and encountered several obstacles. Despite these difficulties, we’re choosing to maintain our faith, hoping that everything will turn out okay. Instead of giving up, we’re exploring this as our last option to prevent us from becoming homeless, or having to pay back the remaining amount while continuing to pay rent every month and still be able to put food on the table or having the basic essentials throughout the month.

We genuinely appreciate any kind of assistance we can receive.

Thank you and God bless!