Send your responses to Z's query about dealing with government housing (HUD, Section 8 etc.)

Dear Z.,

Your story sends chills up my spine... hair raising...creepy...WoW... so deja-vue to my own.

I use to get along pretty good with my rent lady but she suddenly switched out on me due to my ADD,depression,and anxiety.

They moved us into the noisiest and most chaotic apartment in the complex despite the fact that my kids and I all have anxiety and can't handle noises, especially loud ones. Two years of living here with a clean record gone! I just got out an eviction for housekeeping...funny how one month can override a whole two years.
I may have got out of the eviction but she won. I took the eviction to Legal Aid along with proof of her harrassing me before any write ups began and their help got me out of the eviction, yes.

But now she can come in whenever she wants, day or night, any day of the week. To make a long story short not only did she get away with harrassing me, now she can do it legally for as long as I live here. The neighbors now think I am scum, except the few who have been in my apartment and know the truth. But they don't want the reputation I carry so they stay away from me now. I feel even more unsafe and lonely.

In addition my Dr cut my adderrall down because of high blood pressure and weight loss. Now it is even worse, for now I can't function. It is killing me ever so slowly. I just want to hide from everyone long enough to breathe and get some real sleep.

Do you ever feel as if the world is driving you crazy?

Good luck! I totally understand.
SHY

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Dear Z.,

It must be very frustrating to not only be forced to live in government housing due to your mental disability,
but to also have "trouble" with the very people who are supposed to listen to you and care for your
special needs. I don't personally have much experience in this area, but I suspect other MV readers
have had housing problems and the "bureaucracy retaliation" to your complaints that you describe.

My only suggestion would be to try to stay calm when you are talking with these people. It might be helpful to
write down what you want to say, and read it, rather than allow yourself to panic, sound angry or irritated, etc.
Social workers are human -- some are compassionate, some are not. Some may like being in power over
your situation. So if you can somehow defuse their negative reactions, by saying something like "I know you
are trying your best," etc. (even if that is a white lie, it might smooth things over to be complimentary) and get
someone in a position of authority on your side.

I am NOT saying this is an easy thing to do--and maybe it's not right for you. But approaches similar to this have
worked for me in other types of difficult situations in the past. & I really hope other MV readers who know exactly
what you've been going through will weigh in on this situation.

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