Finding housing while waiting on a Disability Decision
Finding and maintaining quality housing has proven time and time again to be a very difficult task. When you add in the element of being a low income family this can feel nearly impossible, having any other hurdles can seem catastrophic.
Being low income or no income with children is a very difficult circumstance to navigate, and while you may have limited means to make solid decisions on housing for your family, knowing your resources can make all the difference.
Let's take a look at a scenario and then outline resources that can support in navigating this circumstance.
You are a single parent with 2 kids, striving to make the best decisions for your family
You have an active disability
You have been laid off or fired and denied unemployment benefits
Nothing else about maintaining your lifestyle changes thought, your bills don't stop nor do the needs of your family don’t stop
You are allotted around $500 in foodshare benefits for 2 kids and 1 adult
You apply for w2 (welfare to work program) and you receive $600 per month for your family (you and the 2 children).
This $600 is designed to to assist you with rent, electricity, phone, clothes, and personal items for the 3 of you for 1 month. In this program you are reporting to your worker and you are assisted in the effort to find a job.
As someone who is disabled you are moved to W2T this coded program is to assist while you are waiting for a decision from disability. The clock is the same 12-14 months and it can be extended. Instead of reporting to work your doctors and treatment staff send in progress reports that NO one really of credentials are able to read or arrange a plan for action.
Disability can take from 6 months to 9 years to receive.
With all of this stacked up it can feel like finding or maintaining housing can be impossible, but here are some tools and resources to support you in navigating this space:
Disabilities Services Division
The Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division is committed to the safety and needs of children and adults with disabilities.
Milwaukee Housing Resource Center
Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center (MKE RHRC) is a collaborative network of local housing and related assistance programs. Our vision is to bring together the resources and organizations that successfully guide residents through a variety of rental housing related issues. From understanding your rental housing rights, to finding legal and mediation services, better understanding how to access rental assistance, and accessing training and education, MKE RHRC brings the expertise of several area housing experts under one roof.
Our goal is to ensure families facing eviction have the support and legal representation they deserve when navigating this difficult and life-altering event. In Milwaukee County, less than 3% of individuals facing eviction have any form of representation and we want to put an end to that! We are here to stand with the families of Milwaukee County and ensure they have the legal representation required to avoid eviction and stay in their homes.