“Ana” is a person with a disability, has a section 8 voucher, and lives in subsidized housing. Ana called NWFHA after she received (3) different 10-day notices to comply or vacate because of the condition of her apartment with excess items, and she was at risk of eviction. She explained that she was affected by COVID-19 and her health didn’t permit her to clean. Our team visited her unit to see the condition of her apartment, and confirmed that her unit was clean, her belongings were tidily organized, but she needed to reduce the amount of her possessions as her disability allows.

As a reasonable accommodation NWFHA requested an extension of 60 days to allow Ana to sort and store excess possessions and to get help from other organizations. We created a resource binder for her which included contact information for community organizations where she can receive assistance. The apartment complex granted the accommodation requested. During the extra time granted, with connections that NWFHA provided, Ana became eligible for Medicare/Medicaid and now has a primary doctor. She contacted Meals on Wheel which provides her food, other organizations are helping with transportation, and she is in the process of getting a caregiver. Once her health needs were addressed, Ana was able to downsize her belongings and ensure that her housing was secure.