Our Stories: Alexia

My name is Alexia; I am a single mother and a student working on a degree in biological science. I have been homeless since May of 2007, it is now September 2008. I was forced out of my market rent apartment when my family was broken apart. Now being the sole head of household I could not afford the nearly thousand dollar rent.

I was fortunate to have an understanding landlord who allowed me to stay until the end of the month. At months end my daughter and I packed up all of our belongings and headed to the department of transitional assistance in the hopes of being placed. We had no where to go and this was our last resort. After being seen by the case worker at the DTA office I was informed that because I left the premises when I was asked to and did not destroy my relationship with a kind landlord, I had deemed myself homeless, therefore I could not be helped. According to the guidelines that DTA have I needed to go back to the apartment and get myself evicted. With no other options I went back to the apartment. After an entire summer passed and I did any and everything DTA required me to do they finally placed me in shelter. It was a bittersweet step forward.

Nonetheless I have been in shelter for over a year and continue to try to live as normally as possible. I continue to strive towards my degree, I continue to seek affordable housing in a plummeting economy I continue to nurture my child and make her surroundings as stable as possible.

Finally everyday tasks of a head of household are difficult enough, but with out a household they are nearly impossible. This is the case for far two many families in this state right now. For this reason I ask of you to consider what funding for housing subsidies could mean for not only my stability, my chance at really getting my degree, my child’s future, but also other families who want more for themselves.