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Catch up on what you missed: Part 1 and 2
Part 3 Last week we followed Deborah as she moved through the services offered by Keys to Change and partner agencies.
This week, we’re hopping back in at Bridge 95 – the transitional housing units managed by Keys to Change, where Deborah spent the last leg of her houseless journey. There she worked with her case manager, April, to implement her housing plan.
It's in the lifeblood of Keys to Change to do whatever it takes to get results for our clients.
April describes the leg work to clear Deborah's eviction from her record. "We went [to the court] in person and advocated for her, paid off the judgement portion [with Flex Funding] and escalated the appeal to regional. A lot of back and forth...but she is finally approved at [a newly-expanded affordable housing community]."
Deborah expressed gratitude for the expert guidance she received from staff. “They’re highly compassionate. And they get it – they understand the game. And it’s because they have come themselves from different struggles in their own background, so that’s why they’re there.”
Throughout this experience, Deborah has learned a tremendous amount about the structural aspects of the human services sector. And she’s seen first-hand what works.
“It is housing first – house first. I can’t speak highly enough of [Bridge 95 and Keys to Change] and all of the wraparound services around you as well - they’re a shining example of that."
She continues, "They’re always there. There’s stability, they freaking feed you three meals a day. And that’s just totally amazing. Every time you walk in the door, 'Hi, welcome back.' You walk out - 'see you soon, be careful now!'”
She describes the personal transformations she witnessed in Bridge 95. “When you take a person who is unhealthy and put them into a housing situation like that. It changes their whole mentality, it boosts self-esteem [and] sense of self-worth.”
Deborah’s experience has made her into an advocate. She’s closely following the legal proceedings involving the property management companies who employ machine learning to “optimize their profits.” She plans to join in the class-action fight to ensure that others don’t have to suffer as she has.
She’s also committed to breaking down stereotypes and the danger they pose. “[Homelessness] is more visible [now] – there's a lot more of it up and down, look at 27th Avenue. The more you see people pushing their carts down the street sleeping wherever, the more pushback from the general public. The rage becomes against the homeless."
"There’s a ridiculous stigma that people have about homelessness, right? 'They’re just lazy. They don’t want to work. They’re all druggies.' No. Evictions are the number one pusher of homelessness right now.”
Today, Deborah is settling into a new normal and finding community. She's paying around a third for rent compared towhat she paid at her old place. She's excited to get back to work. And now, Deborah is home.
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