EMERGENCY HOUSING GRANTS

Extending A Helping Hand

The goal of HIF is to provide assistance without a lot of red tape and to extend a helping hand that will keep people in stable housing or will give them an opportunity to get back on their feet. These are several examples of the kind of assistance that is provided by the Housing Industry Foundation.

Success Stories

Clients are a married couple who also care for their 39-year-old physically disabled daughter. The unit where they were living was sold and they had to move. The husband is on social security and cares for the daughter, who is blind and has brain damage. The wife normally works, but was laid off recently and has been looking for work. She has an interview coming up. Their combined income will support the rent in the new apartment, but does not cover the unexpected move-in costs.

Clients have been living in a public housing project in Bayview/Hunter's Point, which is a notoriously violent and dangerous environment in San Francisco. They have worked very hard to improve their circumstances and to get off welfare. Female partner has completed job training and is working full-time. Male is also working full-time and attending school to complete his training as a drug and alcohol counselor. He has four years of sobriety. This couple and their three children have been accepted into HIP Housing's rent scholarship program, so their rent will be subsidized for a period of time. HIF's assistance with move-in costs will enable them to attain their goal to end the cycle of violence, drugs, poverty and public assistance by leaving public housing and raising their children in a safe and stable environment.

This is an extended family. The grandfather, who is 74 years old, recently lost his wife. He was unable to maintain the rent on their apartment by himself and eventually lost it. He and his daughter and two granddaughters are going to be living together to share expenses. The daughter works two jobs as a security guard and the 23-year-old granddaughter works and will contribute. The other granddaughter is 14. With their combined income, they should be able to sustain this housing. Without this arrangement, the grandfather will have no place to go. They have contributed $1,100 towards the move-in expenses.

Client, her husband, and two children have been in short-term transitional housing with Shelter Network for four months. Up until two years ago, they were a stable family with the husband doing well at his job in sales. Then the husband was admitted to the hospital with severe psychological issues and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His disease cost him his job, and eventually, after having run through their savings, the family was forced to move due to the inability to pay the rent. The wife found them a new rental home and he was put on medication. Apparently stabilized, he eventually found another job but the company he was working for closed and he was unemployed again. The family was evicted and entered the shelter. Since then it has become apparent that the husband is not stabilized and is not employable. The wife has been going to school. She found a part-time job at Macy's that is now full-time. They have agreed to separate and the two children will live with the wife. Her car recently broke-down and had to be repaired, plus she had to pay $400 to join the union. These additional expenses left her unable to pay all of the move-in costs. The rent will be affordable at only $650 per month.

This couple lost their two-year-old daughter to cancer on January 27th. The husband lost a month of work during the grieving process. He is back to work now and will be able to pay future rent.

Client's apartment burned down on February 15th. The Red Cross assisted with motel costs for four days plus $595 for the first month's rent on this apartment. She had to pay remaining hotel and other expenses. She works full-time as a childcare provider and her income will pay future rent. She moved into the new apartment March 3rd, but has not paid the deposit.