Hi, my name is Isaiah Roberts. Right now, I don’t have a permanent home. My mom and I have been staying in short-term rentals since December 10th because we couldn’t afford rent at our previous apartment.

We’ve been trying to find another place, but with our rental history, we keep getting declined. With costs going up, we’ve had to move into another Airbnb so we can at least have privacy and some stability while we figure things out.

We have our furniture in storage now, and everything else—our clothes, food, and personal things—we carry with us every time we move.

This will be our eighth move since 2021, and it’s exhausting. Constantly packing, moving, and worrying about where we’ll sleep has taken a mental toll on me.

Even though my mom has income, we haven't gotten approved for apartments we can afford because of past rental history. The only places that will accept us are in areas that aren’t safe—some that have made local news for crime or hazardous living conditions. We’re trying to avoid being forced into that kind of housing just because time is running out.

I’ve been trying to work, but I have dysautonomia, which limits what I can safely do. I’ve applied for disability many times over the past decade and have been denied each time. In January 2025, I was diagnosed with severe depression after sudden life changes made it impossible to work for a while. I’m doing better now, but the constant moving and instability weighs on me.

Since losing my dad in 2017, it’s been financially difficult for our family. Even while I’ve worked, I haven’t been able to earn enough to cover the costs of rent and storage. I was also recently denied unemployment because I hadn’t worked enough during the timeframe their system requires. Back then, my depression made it impossible to work, which contributed to the denial.

We’ve applied for apartments and rental homes repeatedly, but we have kept getting hit with roadblocks. Right now, it's like a loop of temporary housing, moving from one rental to another making it harder to really get back on our feet.

I also need a new pair of glasses, since the hinge on my current ones is hanging off. I'm having to be extremely careful with them and it’s hard to see clearly without them which makes things worse to deal with.

I’m starting this fundraiser to help us break that cycle. The money raised would go toward short-term rental housing, storage fees, a new pair of glasses, and giving us the time we need to continue pursuing safe affordable housing without being at immediate risk of homelessness.

Having this temporary stability would let me continue to focus on searching for work and not be stressed by living in constant crisis mode.

Asking for help is hard and my mom isn’t comfortable with it, but we’re out of options. We don’t have family nearby who can help us get a stable place. Any support, whether it’s a donation or just sharing this, would mean so much.

Our goal is $1000 to cover temporary housing, storage, and a new pair of glasses, giving us the time to find a stable place and get on our feet.