PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Elizabeth Mackey, CityFHEPS Voucher Holder
1:07:55
ยท
4 min
Elizabeth Mackey, a current CityFHEPS voucher holder, shares her personal experience with the shelter system and the challenges of finding housing even after receiving a voucher. She highlights issues with the program administration, apartment conditions, and support services.
- Criticizes the long wait times for finding apartments even after receiving a voucher
- Emphasizes the need for better support and housing specialists in shelters
- Calls for improved inspections of apartments and better responsiveness from landlords
- Expresses frustration with the Home Base services and the transfer process for voucher holders
Elizabeth Mackey
1:07:55
Good morning, everyone.
1:07:55
Good morning.
1:07:56
My name is Elizabeth Mackey.
1:07:58
Currently, I, okay.
1:08:02
Currently, I am a voucher holder.
1:08:04
I was in a shelter for a year and a half.
1:08:09
Thank god for the 90 day new rule, but I had to wait less than really to get my voucher.
1:08:16
However, the waiting is housing, apartments.
1:08:25
Thank you.
1:08:26
To get apartment.
1:08:28
You could get the voucher, but waiting for a year, 2 years to actually get apartment.
1:08:32
That's kinda ridiculous.
1:08:34
But to understand the fact that city is needed for those that's unable to afford the rent out.
1:08:41
I used to work for the city 29 years on the ACS, but I came through a lot of medical problems that couldn't work.
1:08:48
So here I am being placed in a shelter system, not knowing so much about the shelter system.
1:08:54
But I became a statistic working for ACS, being in the shelter system, seeing all the bureaucracy that goes on in the shelter system.
1:09:02
So it was glad that the mayor, you know, among the committee passed the 90 day rule because I didn't understand why you had to be in a shelter for 90 days just to receive a a voucher and to get help.
1:09:12
But even though that you could get the voucher, you still remain in a shelter.
1:09:17
I know people that the shelter that I was in still is in the shelter.
1:09:22
So it was by god's grace that I got out of the shelter.
1:09:25
What is needed and in shelters is support.
1:09:29
Not to be looked down at, but they need housing specialist that is gonna get on the ground to find housing for the people, and also give us a toolkit on how to navigate the system of getting apartment.
1:09:46
They need inspections.
1:09:47
Inspections are needed in these apartments.
1:09:49
I'm in I'm in a a 2 bedroom, nicely fixed or, you know, they want still stuff, but I don't get no heat.
1:09:57
The radiator's not working.
1:09:59
Windows wasn't working up and down.
1:10:02
So I had to literally reach out to the shelter that I was in to navigate, say, okay.
1:10:07
What's going on?
1:10:08
I need the landlord attention.
1:10:09
This, that, and third.
1:10:12
City, home based services?
1:10:14
Crap.
1:10:15
Why do I have to come to you saying I have a problem and I would like to move, but they give me the same running around as if I was in a shelter?
1:10:23
I have to do a IOP.
1:10:25
Why do I have to do a IOP when I'm actually I have an apartment, but I'm requesting because of emergency that I need to move.
1:10:33
So they need to look into the inspection.
1:10:34
They need to really do a order regarding, home based services because home birth services supposed to be a resource place that we could go to in time of need, and they do not do anything.
1:10:45
Just to get appointment is, like, 6 months waiting, and that doesn't make no sense.
1:10:51
So there's all little things that need to be improved with the city voucher.
1:10:56
I hope by us testifying here can, like, you know, be able to adjust for the people because I'm looking up to set a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
1:11:06
Is that really true?
Diana Ayala
1:11:08
Yeah.
Elizabeth Mackey
1:11:08
Because if we are doing it for the people, for us, then we wouldn't even be here Yeah.
1:11:13
Under these conditions.
1:11:14
So they need to work on a city fair's voucher because if they got all these people, 11,000 people that's still in the shelter with a voucher, Something is not right.
1:11:23
When the mayor said that he got 65,000 apartments that's available, but who's available too?
1:11:31
Really?
1:11:31
Because the people that's 11,000 that has the letter should be in one of those 65,000 so called apart that the mayor continues saying that he has for the people.
1:11:41
Yeah.
1:11:41
So the the inspections need to be looked into.
1:11:45
Home based services need to be looked into because I shouldn't have to wait and going through all this back and forth just to get a transfer.
1:11:54
So that wasn't even discussed neither.
1:11:55
So next time when you have a hearing, ask them what is the transfer eligibility because it shouldn't be a eligibility if I already have a voucher.
1:12:02
If I said I need to move, all they should do is process my paperwork and giving me my move in voucher so I could be able to look for a decent affordable apartment because every apartment is not decent.
1:12:14
It may look decent, but everything start falling up, you know, apart once you get into the apartment.
1:12:20
And the landlord seem like he don't care because he gets his month his money every month.
1:12:24
So that those inspections need to be really state way section 8 has yearly inspection.
1:12:30
The city Phelps voucher.
1:12:32
Come in my home, inspect my apartment.