[wi_fighter]

My neighbor accidentally called me today. Her home phone and my phone number are only one digit different. She filled me on what she heard about this whole city buyout of our houses. Last week I was told by the city administrator that the sale would close on 9/15 but that nothing was certain on when we'd have to move out. I called my landlord. He said nothing was for certain yet and he'd believe it when he sees it, and that I wouldn't have to move out any time soon and that I'd just change my rent payments to the city.

My neighbor told me today that SHE talked to the city administrator and they told her that now the sale closes on the 20th and that they were originally hoping to break ground by the end of September, but definitely by October.

That means I have just over a month to find a place that's big enough for three people, has room for an office, and will hopefully accept 2 cats and the dog, AND come up with the rent and security deposit and all of the utility hook-up fees, moving expenses, and taking at least a few days off of work unpaid to get this all done. Oh, and it has to be affordable. Like, I'm paying $400 now and I have no extra monthly income to pay higher rent. I checked our weekly paper today. There's nothing available in our area. They're all small 1 and 2 BR apartments that don't allow pets.

I'm feeling upset and helpless because I've gotten so many stories the last couple of weeks plus there's no way I'm going to pull a couple thousand dollars out of my butt in the next five weeks.

[JustAPixie]

((((((( wi fighter )))))))))

you must be soooo frustrated at the moment! I hope you can find something that will meet your budget!

[wi_fighter]

Thanks Tanya. I have friends who say I won't have to lose the dog, that they'll take her for me until I can find a place where she's allowed. I can't bear to give the cats up though.

I'm starting to think I'm going to have to squeeze us into a 2 BR place, which means I'll have to share a room with my daughter full time since she and her brother obviously can't share one. She already finds excuses to sleep in my room instead of her own. I guess now it'll just be official.

I'm so annoyed. If I received child support, I wouldn't have these worries, but there's no way I'm going through the court system yet again.

[almostangela]

Where do you live? I'm assuming it is in the US and if that is the case, I do beleive you have solid legal standing. You can't just be kicked out without formal warning and if the landlord neglected to so this, then he/she is liable for your expenses. If you are in the US, see if there is a tenant/landlord number or even visit one of those lawyers that let you talk to them for the first 1/2 hour. Why don't you call up the City and ask directly.

[wi_fighter]

Angela, the landlord has kept me totally in the dark because he "didn't know anything either." Well, he could have told me that the city made an offer again and he accepted it so that I'd have had fair warning to start looking. I can't come up with the money to rent a new place for October already, and that could leave me homeless until November if the city decides to break ground next month already and wants us out of here ASAP.

There's a city development meeting tomorrow at 7:00 that's open to the public. You can be damn sure I'm going to be there and they're going to know I'm there too.

[DaveyJones]

I don't think that you are going to have to get out that quickly...I don't know what the law is where you live, but most places they have to give you 90 days...you probably would have to pay rent to the city during that time. But you may want to call a lawyer to find out for sure...shouldn't cost too much.

Good luck...don't let 'em freak you out!

DJ

[alisandria]

I'd be looking in the meantime for a place, but I agree, if you are in the US there are laws. Fair housing acts, etc. Call you city's housing authority and see how they can help you. I'd also call welfare deptmartment or whatever it is called there, they maybe able to help you with vouchers for down payments on apartments.

There are things out there, it's just a matter of looking for them. Make some calls, the worst someone is going to say is no, but you might just find something.

[wi_fighter]

Thanks DJ and Lisa. I would have never considered the housing authority. I would have figured they'd be involved with the city government. I just checked the phone book and they have a completely different address than City Hall.

I called a couple of places that were listed in the paper, the 3 BR ones, they've all been taken already. I left a message with another place that has a 2 BR, 1400 sq. ft. apartment, but they have the same ad in the paper all the dang time. I don't know if they kick people out, or if it's gross, or if it's been empty the last five years.

[wi_fighter]

Just called the housing authority. They only work with the elderly and had no idea who I should call. They suggested City Hall. I said I'd already talked to them and keep getting the runaround.


Maybe I should start donating plasma to raise an extra $200 a month.

[almostangela]

Go into the meeting and give them hell. IF they bought the property, then they are tne new landords and must give you 90 days or move you at their expense and time. The only plasma that is going to be lost is through their bloody noses once you get through with them. You go girl!

[wi_fighter]

I didn't get to the meeting. My daughter needed to run in to town and we didn't get back in time. My neighbor stopped over this morning and filled me in on what was said.

Since I only have a month-to-month lease, they don't have to give me much notice. They said that I should have been prepared to have to move at any time since my one-year lease expired and my landlord didn't renew it. My neighbor who has the same landlord still has 6 months left on their lease, so the city has to buy them out. They'll get $4200 back and I'll only get my $400 security deposit. The city administrator said they're going to speak with their lawyer to see how much notice I need to have, but right now it's November 1, or 60 days from the time of notice, whichever is longer. Well, I haven't gotten notice and they don't close until 9/20, so I'm looking at mid November. They're also going to see if they should reimburse me anything. Yeah, sure, the lawyer is going to tell them to pay me if they don't have to? Had I had a one-year lease, I'd be getting back $4800 since it would have just been renewed two days ago. You better believe I'm pissed.

The mayor said we're members of the community and he doesn't want to see us kicked out with no help from the city, but we'll see about that. Everyone else was wanting to just make us move unceremoniously, with no assistance.

They paid $120,000 for both houses (barely fair market value) and were going to offer them to us for $1, but then decided they couldn't survive being moved. Now they're going to be used for firefighter practice. The floors in this house are gorgeous hardwood, and they're going to be turned to ashes.

The city administrator said she'd get back to me within a week to let me know what their lawyer says. I'm not expecting good news, that's for sure.