I am not on the voucher yet but I would like to know if age 28, single household, full time student is eligible for a housing voucher??
Another question. Can I take my voucher and use it towards an apartment out of state or only here in the state of Washington?
Please let me know!
They lose your paperwork and try to punish you for it. They do not email or call back voucher holders but contact the landlords and program people but NOT the voucher holder no matter how many times you call or email them.
Bedbug infestation rampant. Management very rude and disrespectful to tennents.
Some of the people here genuinely appear as though they want to help, particularly the guy that teaches the class and usually the people up front, but my experience with others here has been less positive. I dealt with the intake lady named Jessica who consistently talked down to me in emails, not bothering with any niceties and having a condescending tone that always made me feel like I was wasting her time when I actually had a serious issue I needed help with. I was excited to receive the voucher I had waited so long for, worth 625$. I had a decrease in income which brought the new total to $825 so I used that amount to get into my new 2br apartment. I'm a single mom with a baby so I appreciated this immensely. The day I went to sign my lease, however, I was notified that they would only be covering a couple hundred dollars of my rent. I was shocked and contacted jessica immediately. They had miscalculated my income so badly that my voucher was cut by about $600. When I asked her through a series of emails when the voucher rate would be adjusted, she snapped at me and said "I already told you nothing is going to change."...NO ONE tried to understand my point of view. I'm on my own with a baby and never would have applied for a place that cost even half as much. I submitted a change in circumstances form and was told it would take a month to calculate the "change" (even though nothing had changed) and that I would s motill have to pay the first months rent based on income I NEVER HAD. So..i paid that and just received the new calculation which is still much less than the initial amount despite absolutely nothing changing but at least is more reasonable. It appears as though the initial voucher calculations are just numbers pulled out of thin air; it would be helpful to know that they are unreliable before using them for something as crucial as applying for a place to rent...I get the feeling that they stereotype people as poor, ignorant and uneducated. I understand that jobs in the helping profession lead to burn out, but if you're just going to judge everyone like they're clueless idiots, maybe start looking for a new job.
They are Rude and don't help anyone with rental problems not to mention there NEVER answer a phone or RETURN calls
After falling Ill several years ago and finally getting on SSDI, SHA has helped me out tremendously! The staff has always been nice & supportive. I can't thank them enough for all their help :)
Aside from the horrible wait time just hard to work with the few hours they are open. Generally the staff are very helpful and knowledgable.
It's rare to get a call back,I've never spoke to my worker. Thank goodness for other team members that can help.
Absolutely HORRIBLE!! I would give less than one star if it were possible!! For an agency meant to help the disabled they are cold hearted and have no compassion! In our first few weeks on the program we were given conflicting/confusing information, flat out lies and constant harassment! Due to a severe disability we needed help! When Social Security Disability made a mistake in our income, our assistance was drastically cut! In spite of SSDAs admission to an error SHA refused to reinstate the level of our assistance for several months!!! Thankfully, our landlord was fabulous and helped us out. We are off the program now and will do everything possible to STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!!
They have been fairly good to me but i may have to move and can't get a hold of no one so don't know what to do?
Always professional. New "take a number" system goes fairly fast. One can email, call your representitive or go in person to get answers and help. Place kept clean and orderly.
They are currently not open and not answering the phone. Cant really rate them when you cant get ahold of anyone.
You can never reach them when you need to but they want you to answer their calls and letters! No customer service line to reach anyone also phone service line is just a run around no one really answers the phone! I guess people are paid to sit in an office!
I live at cedar west and it as my understanding that one pet was allowed per apartment. My neighbor has two which bark and growl everytime I go out to my patio. They won't keep the dog off my patio and the does mess all over in front of my door. Her patio looks like a junkyard and I can just imagine what her apartment smells like since the white dog is never let out. My complaint is the dogs bark and are mean and they are breaking the rules. The property goes out of their way to be sure I am not breaking any rules.
Supposed to be here to help...
Dont bother asking.
Directions given with unfriendly fingers, understood in any language.
It's helped me get an apartment when i was almost homeless..
So an year ago moved to Spokane wa, I was Spokane housing as Co head of house with my mother for temporary. Anyways long story short housing authority people are claiming money I've never Received from my Ex husband, for our children, the housing authority told my mother and myself it was their policy. So let me get this right housing you can claim money I was never getting in the first place! and my mom was on the first buyer's program and worked hard to pay off bills and debt. Just to tell us if you don't pay, my mom housing voucher will be gone.
First of all housing authority I have proof I never received that money.
They have helped tremendously and I appreciate what they are doing for low income individuals in Spokane.
Because of them I can pay my electric bill and get much needed supplies.
Thank you Spokane Housing.
Just a great experience for all my years of being on housing.. Thank you
Ive been waiting over 5yrs now, with 3 children, low income, im originally from Spokane, have been updating my info the whole time, yet this agency will not even assist me in my current rental let alone help us get into an affordable place. Who in Spokane are they so busy helping then, if not single moms with children? Questionable
I dont even know how these people help find u housing there listbis always full the reality of the situation is im on disability and have called this place 25_35 times in the past year its always the same, the list is full,they keep sending an application,tell me i cant make an appointment, im done with calling they never help dont matter if ur disabled they treat everyone like this.
Housing authority is an amazing program in itself it has helped me so much and I appreciate it every day of my life I have 4 kids and it's hard in today's economy and yes I work and still cant afford much so I am sooo appreciative. that being said they need some work on their interpersonal skills I understand there are people that probably make their jobs hard but they need to set that aside and not treat everyone the same just about every time I have talked to someone they have treated me like I was scum for needing help I am always polite and I do all the things they need and once again I do work every day I dont have the pleasure of sitting at home but they will treat you like u just mooch off people and they expect you to take time off work to do a bunch of different things they are not understanding that you have a job too it's really disheartening discouraging and disrespectful. talking to people like you are above them is never ok and yes there are a handful of people that have treated me with respect but the majority do not and they almost act like they do not have time to help you
Pros
It gives you the means to support your family and live where you want. (as long as the landlord agrees)
They help you buy a home and work with other agencies to secure loans for a Home.
They keep your land lord honest with upkeep of place being rented.
No years of waiting done on lottery basis.
Rent is based on what you make.
Cons
You will be viewed as living off the government and landlords look at you differently (stigma).
Hard to get the answers you need (GO IN - DO NOT TRY TO CALL).Front desk is usually brunt and short so know exactly what you need when you go in. Be prepared to wait PATIENTLY !
Overall
I fully recommend it ! It has and will help my family members immensely !
Sign up for the lottery as soon as it opens(you must keep checking they wont tell you when it opens until close to the date
I ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SPOKANE HOUSING AUTHORITY!! AND WOULDNT HAVE ANY QUALITY OF LIFE.
Update- I did speak with the woman that responded to my post and she was very kind and answered my questions as best she could. I very much appreciate the helping hand she extended; she didn't have to. She explained that somehow my "lottery" had been called and passed two and half years ago, unfortunately I never got the letter. :-( Having information and an answer is all a person can ask for.
This is a tough position for renters/home buyers to find themselves in and there are only so many resources out there. I know what some of them are now.
Thank you! :-)
I called in to get some information and got the distinct impression that the person on the other side of the phone wasn't fully invested or interested in exploring my first question or any others. This was confirmed when the person I was attempting to speak with engaged in a conversation with a coworker or other individual.
I would advise that staff focus on the person they're dealing with, and/or prioritize conversations. Because my first question wasn't clearly answered and my follow up not answered at all, I'll call the main Housing and Urban Development national number in order to get answers to my general questions.
I have a friend who was evicted by the corrupt management of Rosewood Club Apartments in Spokane. This man paid his rent religiously for 5 years straight. He went to pay his rent in April of 2017 with a certified money order, which was the preferred payment of the apartment management team who refused it because the man has a mental disability and the don't wish to rent to people with "those" disabilities. Way to go Spokane housing. You helped a horrible landlord make a disabled man homeless. I hope you can justify this atrocity to yourselves because all I see is a heartless group of people making good people homeless and desolate. I am ashamed to be part of a community that has most likely allowed this to blindly occure.
Sincerely
Errol Novas
They issue 3/10 day notices to quit or pay like free candy. I am a current resident at Cedar West and if anyone is considering renting here, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
The leasing agents are rude and have the intelligence level equal to worms.
I have been acused of things I did not do and I am current on my rent except for rediculously escalating charges on my account due to these bogus accusations reported by a noisy neighbor who gets free rent for engaging in false accusations on other residents There are other apartments available in Spokane where rents are equal to or cheaper than what they offer.
They NEVER answer my phone calls. NEVER call back either
Grateful for the help, wish I had some individual help. Due to head injury I have difficulty doing the necessary things that are required to move. Not sure what to do!
What's with this office? My friends # came up. He's elderly and does not use computer, has no transpo and not 1 time did the social workers help him locate a place. Said go out and look! Pretty hard to do without bus fare or transpo! When I found a few locations. He found one he liked SHA okayed it pending inspection so I loaned my friend part of deposit and well we got taken for it! They said they'd try and help get it back and that's a lie! Of course his time was up they gave him 2 more week extension and to say the least he's still homeless! What's with the SW not helping him! I should have had their job!
I am on housing need to know if my housing covers assisted living
spokanehousing.org
