--Please read the updates I have posted. This description is not updated comprehensively; only the totals are kept up-to-date.

On August 23rd my landlord raised my rent from $854 to $1,049, almost $200 higher. At nearly 3 years' tenancy I intended to stay here for years to come while I built a more stable life and continue to financially recover from last year's layoff. My landlord claimed the basis of the rent increase was rising utility costs and increased maintenance costs. The problem with these claims is that I have not made any recent maintenance requests and I pay every single utility bill for the property. When I questioned this, they broke & immediately terminated my lease.

I quickly sought legal advice but was soonest able to sit with an attorney on September 11th. From that meeting I was able to get a clear timeline and action plan to move forward with, but ultimately the bad news that there was nothing I could do to keep my home; I could only cover my behind on my way out.

My landlords have since told me I have been nothing but a great tenant, and that they have somebody lined up to rent the place immediately on October 1st. The unit never went on the market.

Early in the morning on September 13th I was moving stacks of empty boxes inside to pack with when I hit my toe on some I had already brought in, fracturing the bone at the first joint. I have been in a boot since and at the end of this week can begin wearing a normal shoe as long as I tape it and move carefully. I can resume normal activities the week of October 12th.

As a result of this injury packing has been slower, more exhausting, and I have been entirely out of work throughout the month. With everyone's help, I have been able to secure a new lease at a different apartment and begin paying for movers, cleaning costs, and utility switchovers among many other things. Pending a signature on the lease, I had tentatively scheduled my move to be the last weekend of September. Unfortunately, my new home was not able to be made available for an early move-in, and reached out to my landlords after signing my new lease on the 24th. The next day, I was served court papers filed by my landlord despite my attempts to negotiate. They hold an unused month's rent in escrow but claim to both the courts and to my attorney that I owe them over a thousand dollars more.

I am going to court on the 6th of October, and have paid retainer on my attorney to work my defense. The outlook of the hearing is better than most, my landlords having broken their own lease and then ensuing document terms multiple times. That being said, I need to be prepared to pay the brunt of all costs levied against me both in courts and to both properties, with my deposits still over a month away from being returned to me. I am otherwise following all good procedure for a standard move-out, such as cleaning, certified mailings, and minor repair. The costs I still face are as follows:

October's bills: $430.13

Utility turn-on deposits: $120

Internet account closeout fee: $59.99

Attorney: $240/hour, final bill pending

I have come a long way on the generosity of others but am still deep in the red versus the money I have received and what is to come as I start my new job.

So far, I have spent approximately...

$1,936.75 on deposits for new rental

$1,042.50 on first month's rent (Oct)

$526.52 on moving supplies

$274.71 on truck rentals

$715 on movers

$45 on medical copays

$404.11 on utility balances and deposits

$266.46 on bills

$173.06 taken by GoFundMe

$70 on application fees

$257.96 on cleaning and fix-ups

$1,590 on attorney incl. retainer

$979.63 on washer and dryer

...not including food

It is so horrible to lose my home this way and upsetting that I need to depend on so much charity only for the weeks to drag along and force me to ask for even more. If I don't come up with this money my only option will be to place my things into storage lockers with what money I do have and try to find a job while homeless. This was my first real apartment since coming out of homelessness and I really, really do not want to go back. I am very close to securing a new home. Please help me. I only wish I could offer more than my total gratefulness in return.

*The cover image is my baby bunny, Daisy, who died on September 1st. I will miss her for the rest of my life.