Now, the private investigator
Well now the Housing Authority is all up in our butts.
Chris works in a job with very dynamic hours. We live in housing that demands a high level of accurate form-submitting. What happens when you get a weary, preoccupied but honest worker, crazy hours, and a to-the-letter Authority? Lots of miscommunication and a private investigator. That's right! We had an unannounced visit today from a PI contracted by the HA as part of their "evaluation" of Chris's forms and stuff "per his request". Chris demanded they retract their opinion that we missed their 10-day notification of changes rule, and the letter they sent him did not do that. Yesterday he asked them to figure out why they wouldn't rescind their determination, and they agreed to re-evaluate his claims. Today, we see the PI. Unannounced. On our doorstep. Got all pissy because we wouldn't let him in to discuss Chris's paperwork, but instead offered to meet on the doorstep or at the HA. Accused Chris of not co-operating. Got us all pissy with each other after the minion left.
I fucking hate having to account for everything all the time to people whose job it is to tell us we are either breaking or following some rule that affects our food or housing money. Hate. It. The alternative is even deeper poverty - and perhaps my having to work some shit job and Chris finding work with fewer hours just to make it all work.
Like the sticker I saw for the 7,319th time yesterday says: "Freedom isn't free!". Right?
Chris works in a job with very dynamic hours. We live in housing that demands a high level of accurate form-submitting. What happens when you get a weary, preoccupied but honest worker, crazy hours, and a to-the-letter Authority? Lots of miscommunication and a private investigator. That's right! We had an unannounced visit today from a PI contracted by the HA as part of their "evaluation" of Chris's forms and stuff "per his request". Chris demanded they retract their opinion that we missed their 10-day notification of changes rule, and the letter they sent him did not do that. Yesterday he asked them to figure out why they wouldn't rescind their determination, and they agreed to re-evaluate his claims. Today, we see the PI. Unannounced. On our doorstep. Got all pissy because we wouldn't let him in to discuss Chris's paperwork, but instead offered to meet on the doorstep or at the HA. Accused Chris of not co-operating. Got us all pissy with each other after the minion left.
I fucking hate having to account for everything all the time to people whose job it is to tell us we are either breaking or following some rule that affects our food or housing money. Hate. It. The alternative is even deeper poverty - and perhaps my having to work some shit job and Chris finding work with fewer hours just to make it all work.
Like the sticker I saw for the 7,319th time yesterday says: "Freedom isn't free!". Right?
posted by Skim @ 4:42 PM
4 Comments:
At 8:25 PM,
Anonymous said…
I am sooooo sorry to hear that you guys are having trouble with the HA. Makes me nervous too. I hope they get off of your back in a hurry.
Take care.
Louise
At 9:29 PM,
Anonymous said…
What you need is a good legal aid attorney (I write letters for people in situations like that at the legal clinic). A private investigator? What the hell! I feel for you. I remember doing the food stamp/medicaid/AFDC shuffle back in the day, so to speak. It totally sucks, and knowing that your reality as you know it could cease to exist over this crap...also sucks. Sorry you're having to go through this - just imagine what it would be like if you didn't have such a well functioning brain! Hang in there. Eat some chocolate and play in the garden....
Lynette
At 3:13 AM,
Anonymous said…
It is amazing how much money the government spends trying to keep money from going to the wrong people. Of course the scam artists have this down so they don't get caught. But the agencies have to hassle deserving folks to show they're trying. I've been conversing with ex-Soviets and many still laud the virtues of Communism. Their points are valid. I find myself rather Socialistic these days. Seems it would be simpler if everyone, from Bill Gates, to the bum on the street got food stamps and a decent living allowance. Cut out the beauracracy and stigma. Treat everyone the same and establish the simple right of everyone to live and eat.
Maybe you should call yourselves illegal immigrants. They seem to have lots of powerful folks behind them right now.
P.I. Fuck. The government is becoming more like a corporation all the time. Doesn't matter what's really going on, folks got a quota to meet. Gotta hassle and kick out a certain amount of people to show we're being tough.
Good luck with the private dick. And the dick part usually refers to their character.
At 3:14 AM,
Anonymous said…
Oh, that was me if you didn't guess.
Jim
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