Trapped in an Unsafe Neighborhood

I am at my wits end and I am asking for help. I have been trying to move from from an increasingly unsafe neighborhood the past year but without success. It started when my upstairs neighbor, who plays loud music during the day/evening to begin with, failed to report a water leak in 2014 that caused BLACK MOLD to grow in the ceiling of my apartment. This mold is affecting my health and has forced me to see a specialist for asthma due to chronic coughing, intense migraines, and severe shortness of breath. My landlord was no help – in fact, he blames ME for the condition of the ceiling, so I am not expecting my security deposit back without a fight… and without that deposit (as well as a myriad of additional expenses I can’t afford) I can’t move out.


My neighborhood was okay until around mid-2015 when things began to feel less safe. First it started when my car was vandalized (stolen badge, smashed back window, and stolen back spare tire). Then the nasty catcalls/harassment started and hasn’t stopped since. I am a female model so I am used to some attention, but the harassment has been CONSTANT and DAILY for the past 18 months – creepy guys asking to talk to me over and over, whistling and yelling obscene crap – and this is when I’m leaving for work, usually in front of kids walking to school, and the mothers watching don’t seem to care. It’s even worse at night/on the weekends, the guys are drunk and/or high, and some of them get threatening when I don’t answer. I just try to scurry from my car to my apartment in as little time as possible. The icing on the cake - I have this dude in a black Audi that has been following me to the local Wawa for the past three weeks but apparently that’s not enough for the police to do something. The guy has to do something first or I have to catch the harassment on camera, but I don’t want to whip out my phone and give someone a reason to attack me just so cops might act… I need to get out of here. This is affecting my life and my career – cabin fever, no sleep, and bags under the eyes are no good for photo shoots.

 
Costs of moving will include:

- Covering the cost (car, gas, motel, etc) of an out-of-state trip in order to apply/secure an apartment.

- Renting a moving truck for an out-of-state move. Hiring helpers to load/unload as I do not have family close enough to assist me and I have a back injury. I can drive the truck but lifting is an issue.

- New security deposit for rent/utilities.

- Legal action against my landlord. I was told by a few good friends with tenant/landlord legal knowledge that I may have a case but I do not have the money to retain a lawyer.

- Future treatment for symptoms for black mold. Chronic coughing, migraines, and shortness of breath. (I haven’t been able to afford a doctor’s visit in about 9 months)

- Pet deposit for the new apartment (I have two cats, both rescues).

 
This is very hard for me to do as I don’t like asking for help. This situation evolved very quickly and I was overwhelmed before I knew it. Take my tale as a cautionary one – always have funds for a rainy day, be prepared for anything. Thank you for taking the time to read this, thank you for sharing, and thank you for your support!