Brink Lounge – 5:00 – 7:00! I’ve been a housing counselor for the Tenant Resource Center since 1991 when I was a volunteer housing counselor, I was the volunteer coordinator for about a year and a half, served on the board of directors and in 1995 (17 years ago!) I became the Executive Director. Things sure have changed over the years . . .
When I first started, we just did housing counseling, local presentations for groups, media and articles for newsletters. Since then we started doing statewide full day trainings for landlords and social service agencies, police, sheriff departments, housing authorities and others. We also started a mediation program where we go to court every Tuesday and help mediation evictions at small claims court as well as some out of court mediations. We offer housing counseling statewide, including having a toll-free number. We have off and on served students with various offices on campus depending upon ASM and SSFCs current thinking. We opened the Housing Help Desk at the Job Center where we help people find housing. We started a Housing Crisis Fund to help people keep their housing. We created an extensive website, created lists of various special types of housing, do a weekly list of available housing, created an extensive brochure series and translated it to spanish, created an extensive Housing Counselor Training Guide, written and re-written Apartment Management in Wisconsin for landlords, attempted to complete Tenants Rights in Wisconsin book, became partners in the Social Justice Center and temporarily had an office in Milwaukee. Along with many other projects over the years. And through it all, rode the waves of always changing non-profit funding sources and their various priorities while trying to stay true to our mission. And we did it all with a shoestring budget and the help of hundreds of volunteers, probably 100 different full- and part-time staff members, and friends over the years and the help of generous donors.
The times have changed and so is the housing counseling we do. We help 1,000s of tenants and landlords (10% of the people we serve) every year by talking to them on the phone or they come in to our office. We also get hundreds of thousands of hits on our website. People seeking information usually call our office with a more basic understanding of tenant/landlord law based on getting information from our website, but then have more difficult issues to discuss with us, or are clients with higher needs. We spend increasing amounts of time with tenants who lack basic skills to write a letter to their landlord or who speak Spanish or Hmong as a first language or people in crisis. It used to be our questions were about cockroaches, carpet cleaning, various repairs, breaking leases, when a security deposit needed to be returned and other basic issues of the law. Now it is bed bugs, evictions, evictions and evictions, problems finding housing, lack of affordable housing options and non-renewals.
I did housing counseling for a 4 hour shift this week. During that time I helped 7 people who came into the office. I helped people with the following issues:
1. A landlord who has been doing this for years, but needed help sorting out a rather complex set of issues and figure out how to end a tenancy/do an eviction for a tenant that was 3 months behind on their rent.
2. A disabled man on SSDI had his roommate move out because she no longer felt safe in the neighborhood and he had a 5-day notice for unpaid rent for his one-bedroom apartment and was trying to figure out how he would afford his rent. He has been on a waiting list for 3 years for housing that would better meet his needs. I explained the eviction process and we reviewed options for housing – which are grim in this tight rental market and with many tenant protections removed by the state government.
3. A man who had gotten laid off who had lived in his apartment with his wife and 4 kids (only one still at home) for 8 years who was facing eviction because he couldn’t pay his rent. He has had many interviews and feels like he is close to getting a job, but currently can only pay a portion of his rent. I also explained the eviction process and how to negotiate with the landlord and we reviewed housing options in case that didn’t work out. Delivering more bad news about how hard it is to find housing and how important it is to try to hold on to this apartment.
4. I helped a woman who lived in her apartment being charged over $800 for new carpeting after she moved out. I explained depreciation, helped with the math to determine what she should be paying and probably saved her hundreds of dollars if she can get it back from the landlord.
5. I helped a homeless couple (currently staying with friends) who were looking for housing and had gotten turned down by 4 landlords. I explained that they should keep getting charged non-refundable credit check fees (saving them a couple hundred dollars) and helped them look up their records on CCAP so they could see what the landlord was seeing, explained how they could re-open a $9,000 case that missed because of family illness and reviewed their housing options with them. Delivering more bad news, but giving them tips and tricks to working with landlords.
6. I helped a woman who recently went through a divorce and foreclosure and was looking for housing she could afford for herself and her kids. Being a formerly middle class person, this was the first time she had to face something like this and I explained various housing programs and housing options. Delivering more bad news that there is not really any safety net for folks with her.
7. Helped a tenant who had a dispute over a water bill with a former landlord and a long involved story about fleas in the apartment. I helped her figure out if she wanted to sue her previous landlord and what she could claim and what arguments might be successful.
I didn’t even pick up the phone once . . . so the phone calls piled up as I helped these folks.
Last week, I also was at the Housing Help Desk working with a staff member on some other issues, but that didn’t stop people from calling in so I helped 2 people during the hour I was there. The two people I helped were as follows:
1. The first person was a homeless guy, with two kids, who was told to come to the Housing Help Desk to get a voucher to stay in a motel. He told me that he lost his housing because the person they had been staying with recently died. I told him that we didn’t have motel vouchers, he immediately teared up and started to cry. He pulled it together and I told him that there was a waiting list at the Salvation Army and that he should hurry up and get on that waiting list and that he could try the Warming Shelter, but he had to call in the morning and it was too late for tonight -at which point he teared up again. I suggested he try Madison Urban Ministry and Middleton Outreach Ministry to see if they would help and just going to the Salvation Army to see if they had any other options.
2. The second person I talked to was a pregnant woman with a toddler with her. I handed the kid a box crayons and tried to get her to stay on the piece of paper while I was talking to the mom about which applications for affordable housing she could apply for (as opposed to affordable housing for people with disabilities and seniors) She had applied for several and she was asking me about various housing lists and how long the waiting lists are for the various programs. She told me that she was also homeless and staying at the Salvation Army, but her days were nearly up and she was looking for other options.
It’s never an easy day and looking into the eyes of so many people who are desperate and delivering bad news can really wear you down. But, on the other hand, it is truly rewarding to give people the information they need, help them sort out their priorities and focus on getting what they need with realistic expectations.
So, we’re going to celebrate all our hard work tonight, please join us and help support the work that we do! It will be a cash bar, lots of free food, a great silent auction and some awards and a time to honor the volunteer of the year, a local elected official that we appreciate and a landlord who did a good deed. If you can’t make it, you can donate in various ways:
1. Secure, online donations via Paypal
2. Send a check payable to Tenant Resource Center to: 1202 Williamson St. Suite 102, Madison WI 53703
3. Call us with your credit card number at 257-0143
4. Give through Community Shares of Wisconsin at your workplace
5. Give through Community Shares of Wisconsin website
Please thank our wonderful sponsors of the event:
Aleen Tierney & Joe Lusson
Alex Saloutos
Andy Heidt & Janna Hack
Anita Weier
Anne Habel
Anthony Schaere
Arlene Silveira
Bruce Wallbaum
Carol & Peter Carstensen
Carol Weidel
Carousel Bayrd & Tim Sobota
Crystel Anders & Jay Sowold
Dace Zeps & Tim Dean
Dan O’Callaghan
Darcy Haber
David Carrig
Dean Loumos
Dianne Hesselbein
Don & Marj Passman
Emily Clark
Eugenia Highland
Gary Gokye
George Hagenauer
Harvey Jacobs
Heidi Wegleitner & P.T. Bjerke
Hirsch Group Architects
Jackson & Virginia Tiffany
Jay Allen
Jennie Mauer
Jesse Kaysen
Joe & Marlene Clausius
Judith Wilcox
Judy Olson
Juscha Robinson & Steve Herrick
Karen Ludwig
Lauren Cnare
Leland Pan
Lisa Subeck
Lori Kief
Marilyn Townsend
Marsha Rummel
Mary Anglim
Matt Roellig
Megin & Scott McDonnell
Melissa Berger
Melissa Sargent
Michael & Sara Basford
Michael Donnelly
Mitch
Norm Littlejohn
Pamela & Michael Rewey
Pat Dibiase & Allen Ruff
Marsha Rummel
Mary Anglim
Matt Roellig
Megin & Scott McDonnell
Melissa Berger
Melissa Sargent
Michael & Sara Basford
Michael Donnelly
Mitch
Norm Littlejohn
Pamela & Michael Rewey
Pat Dibiase & Allen Ruff
Rita Meuer
Russell Ainsworth
Sharon Kilfoy
Sharyl J. Kato
Sheila Guifoyle
Stacia Conneely
Steve Burns
Susan Pastor
Susan vilbrandt
Tobi Silgman & Paul Romlow
Today, Not Tomorrow—Project Babies
Tonya Brito
Vicky Selkowe
Yogesh Chawla
And the generous food donors:
Williamson Street Cooperative
Ha Long Bay
Weary Traveler
Einstein’s Bagels
Glass Nickel
Stalzy’s Deli
Heidi Konkel
Deborah Percival
And check out our silent auction donors (still updating/not yet complete!):
Sightseeing flight with Wisconsin Aviation
Value: $150 Minimum starting bid: $75
Step Out in Style: Scarf and Earrings from Art Gecko and Rupert Cornelius
Value: $40 Minimum starting bid: $20
Atwood Assortment: Gift certificates from Bad Dog Frida and Wilson’s Bar and t-shirt from Revolution Cycles
Value: $45 Minimum starting bid: $23
Delectable Date Night: Dinner for two at the Heartland Grill at the Sheraton Madison Hotel and a $50 gift certificate from Flagstad Flower Shop on Winnebago St.
Value: $122 Minimum starting bid: $65
Hometown Hootch: Gift certificate from Old Sugar Distillery ($25) and gift certificate from One Barrel Brewing Company ($25).
Value: $50 Minimum starting bid: $25
Dining Downtown
Gift Certificates to the Dayton Street Grille restaurant at the Madison Concourse Hotel and the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Company.
Value: $100 Minimum starting bid: $50
First-class Fun Night: One night’s stay at the Double Tree Madison Hotel and a gift card from La Lingerie Shop ($50).
Value: $230 Minimum starting bid: $115
Monroe Street Merriment: Gift basket from Trader Joe’s and gift certificate from Orange Tree Imports ($25).
Value: $75 Minimum starting bid: $40
Atwood Action: Gift certificates from Daisy Café and Cupcakery ($20) and the Harmony Bar ($20) and Grill and two Harmony Bar t-shirts.
Value: $70 Minimum starting bid: $35
Health and Comfort: Tea pot from Dobra Tea and gift certificate from Community Pharmacy ($50).
Value: $100 Minimum starting bid: $50
Pass for eight yoga classes at the Well Within Center for Yoga and Health.
Value: $90 Minimum starting bid: $45
One hour body brushing with massage from Sol Escape Healing Arts on Atwood Avenue.
Value: $70 Minimum starting bid: $35
Acupuncture consultation and treatment from Sol Escape Healing Arts on Atwood Avenue.
Value: $85 Minimum starting bid: $45
Coffee Klatch: Gift certificates from Mermaid Café ($25) and the Victory Café ($25).
Value: $50 Minimum starting bid: $25
Atwood Adventure: Gift certificates for the Green Owl ($30) and Glass Nickel ($40)
Value: $70 Minimum starting bid: $35
Creative Cocktail Party: Two bottles of elder flower syrup from Star Liquor and a gift certificate from Cork and Bottle Liquor Store
Value: $85 Minimum starting bid: $45
Gift certificates for Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace
Value: $50 Minimum starting bid: $25
Jesse’s Jewelry
Two handcrafted jewelry pieces from Jesse the K
Value: $33 Minimum starting bid: $15
Jesse’s (necklace? Or whatever it is)
One handcrafted jewelry piece from Jesse the K
Value: $119 Starting bid: $60
Stepping Out on State Street
Gift certificates from Shoo footwear store on State Street and the Sunroom Café and Gallery
Value: $35 Minimum starting bid: $17
Creative Fun
Paperweight making kit from Anthology art store and two autographed books from PS Mueller
Value: $42 Minimum starting bid: $20
Gift certificates for Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
Value: $40 Minimum starting bid: tbd
Iowa Adventure
Gift certificate for the Brown Street Inn Bed and Breakfast in Iowa City, IA
Value: $130 Minimum starting bid: $70
Baskets of Joy
Gift basket from A Woman’s Touch and fruit basket from Brennan’s Market
Value: $20 Minimum starting bid: tbd
Kitty Camp
Four day stay for one cat at Catnip Hill Cat Boarding
Value: $110 Minimum starting bid: $55
Meet Marsha!
Breakfast with City Council Member Marsha Rummel at a restaurant of your choice
Value: $30 Starting bid: $15
Pat’s Painting
Painting of orange flowers by artist Pat Dillon (Represented by Milward Farrell on Monroe Street)
Value: $350 Starting bid: tbd
Photograph by artist Giovanny Lopez and two autographed books by PS Mueller
Value: $23 plus photo value Starting bid: tbd
Two autographed books by PS Mueller
Value: $23 Starting bid: tbd
