Imagine you are laid off. You go through the checklist of essential needs for you and your family: food, medications, electricity, water, and shelter. Some expenses cannot be negotiated. When the rent is due – what do you do to keep the roof over your head?
For those living in public housing, this situation has escalated to more complicated levels due to impacts from the COVID-19 crisis. With the closure of schools and businesses directed to curb the spread of COVID-19, many workers were laid off.
“Our residents work as school bus drivers, crossing guards, and at daycare centers,” said Dee Michelle, a certified occupancy specialist with Park City Communities in Bridgeport and Secretary of AFSCME Local 2311, which represents front-line administrative and maintenance throughout PCC’s public properties.
Besides the immediate work stoppage, most residents are low-to-medium income households headed by single mothers. They already struggle to stay afloat. Where there was once a steady flow of paychecks to rely on, now that has changed.
“When residents report to us, getting their rent on time is their number one fear,” Michelle said. “They are so concerned with being evicted.”
Fortunately, there is some relief.
In her role, Dee keeps resident information current such as income, assets, and family composition. She ensures everything is up to date – including any variations to their income. When residents are laid off, she assists them with acquiring the documentation needed in order to adjust their rent based on their current income.
“I tell them if you get the proper documentation in, we will get your new rent adjustment statement completed as soon as possible,” she explained.
Residents are not shy to share their appreciation and the comfort it has brought.
“Some are calling to say, ‘Thank you for your [rent adjustment] letter and for addressing this so quickly.’ We really are doing this together,” Michelle said.
In addition to adjusting rents to accommodate residents, Park City Communities is trying to keep them safe. Residents received notices of how to protect themselves during the pandemic. Maintenance crews have been reduced to only emergency requests in order to limit contact. Occupancy specialists are communicating to residents through email. They have also set up an outdoor mailbox to collect rent and ensure proper social distancing.
“People are so used to bringing their rent checks to us. We had to communicate to them that they can’t do that. So, we set it up and promoted the outdoor drop box.”
In her 27 years with the public housing agency, Dee has not veered from the values that sustain her with her position:
“I don’t do this job to be glorified. You’re there to do a service for the people to the best of your abilities.”
