HOUSING HOPE

Very hard to understand how the program really works. Being told that lists are for entire County Area rather than broken down by what the applicants really need or the area of choice on the applications and kept in order of dates submitted. Areas of choice, most would say shouldn't matter, and if someone is single with no children it may not matter. But when children are involved from broken homes and they are already enrolled in a certain school, it makes since for the applicant aka almost full-time parent to want to be in same district area or very close. Not to mention, the childcare help and support may be in the same area. Also, stability for children knowing that Mommy and Daddy each have a place for them, not bounced around from place to place. Watching this cycle is heart breaking. It makes no sense to lump those that want Everett only with those that want Granite Falls, or those that want Arlington only and so forth. For those that don't care, they could be on another County wide list.

The decision on who gets a rental and who does not seems to be based on homelessness only. Rather than helping applicants in the order of which they apply. So someone with children who has people to bounce around off their couches drops farther down on the list if someone else gets a navigator (says"I'm homeless") and the navigator claims to need the vacancy apartments first. This is happening even though the "homeless person" they are helping has only been on the list a short time maybe even days or weeks compared to someone that has been on the magical large wait list over a year or even years. I was told that one lady has waited over 13 years. It's not right.
How is this possible? How can someone explain that this is a fair way of distributing low income applicants to available apartments? Especially if the ones that are truthful and are considered homeless by definition (no permanent living space), due to unfortunate situations. They are working honestly, not an addict or mental problems, just low income. However, they keep getting shoved down the list further by those who just said yes I'm homeless to someone at "211" and given immediate help from a "Navigator". I am still unclear as to what power the Navigator has but have been told by several staff and Housing Hope that is the only way a person can get into a place. The funny thing is they don't work for Housing Hope, so how is it that another agency having no control over funding of Housing Hope can take precedence over Housing Hope's rental staff that are supposed to be the gatekeeper for their own rental units?
Is it unrealistic to ask Housing Hope to control their own available rentals and applicants?
Is it unrealistic to ask Housing Hope to put the applicants in order by area specified on application and need of course especially with kids?
Is it unrealistic to request Housing Hope responding to another County agency by adding their request to the list in the order of which they are received? rather than taking from Housing Hopes Units and leaving none for those that have been waiting longer than the Navigator's applicants have been waiting?
Is it unrealistic to HOPE that children from a broken home can have a stable place to call their home no matter which parent has them? or if they are only with them nearly 50% of time?
Is it unrealistic to request an investigation as to how the system is working and operation homelessness to apartments is being handled by the different agencies-County Wide?
Is it unrealistic to contact the Attorney Generals office and plead for the working low-income struggling mothers and fathers to investigate the processes of low-income apartments funding? To request the apartments for records of applicants placements accountability and stop the disorganized way of applicant selections?

Housing Hope provides a full range of affordable housing and services for those the agency serves in Snohomish County. Housing Hope empowers families and provides services and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty. They do this with dignity and respect and make a difference in our community.

The people at Housing Hope care so much and it shows by the difference they are making in people's lives.