Anne Griffis
1/5
Age 64 and temporarily homeless, I went to the office in person and got a strange, off-putting reception. A staffer popped out from behind a locked door and handed me a business card, advising me to call the number. So, I called the number and said I was in their lobby. Another staffer popped out from behind the locked door and handed me a list of low-income subsidized housing units in Flagstaff. She said that Flagstaff is a desirable place to live, so I might not be able to find any available apartments; the waiting list is 2-3 years. I asked, "So, what am I supposed to do with this list? Just call or go to all the places and ask if they have any openings?" She shrugged and said, "I don't know." I said, "I'm car-camping, living in a tent right now and it's comfortable, like being on vacation. But, what if I have an emergency? What if the weather changes and I can't stay in the tent? Where should I go for help?" She said she didn't know. Seems to me that somebody putting the public face on a social services agency should at least act like she cares about the concerns of a would-be client. Fortunately, within an hour an administrative staffer for NACOG reached out and explained that someone will call me to do an intake interview and, based on an assessment of my situation, a Care Coordinator might be assigned. Sounds helpful. Maybe tomorrow? At any rate, I went to Housing Assistance and filled out an application, only to learn there is, in fact, a 3-year waiting list. Went to a Flagstaff housing facility, Clarks, only to learn there is a 2-year waiting list. Wow! Flagstaff must be overwhelmed with low-income people seeking housing. I feel like I should pack up and leave. Is that the idea Area Agency on Aging was trying to convey without being blunt? One final note: I asked the AAAging staffer if she'd heard of a homelessness prevention program called Front Door, where I might be able to get timely help finding low-income housing. She said she didn't know anything about Front Door. Was her claim never to have heard of this program, founded in 2017 as a one-stop homelessness prevention program, cynical and disrespectful toward me? I don't want to take it personally if she was having a bad day or needed more training in communicating with a confused would-be client, but I think it's important that nobody else ever feels like he or she is getting the runaround from a publicly funded social services agency at a time of vulnerability and need. I'm going to Front Door tomorrow. Hope they can help.
