Maybe, Just Maybe

Trey Smith

I must tell you that Della's and my search for a new place to call home has been anxiety-provoking and immensely frustrating. Each time it looks like we're making headway, something pops up and the potential new landing spot evaporates before our eyes! Within the past two weeks or so, two prominent locations that appeared to be right up our alley turned into dead ends.

Back in early June, we thought we were headed about 45 minutes north to Westport. They had an opening and we were at the top of the waiting list. We filled out all the requisite forms and submitted all the documentation requested, but there was one hangup after another. Every time we would clear one hurdle, they would announce a new one! In a week or so, we would clear that one, only to be told yet another new obstacle lay between us and securing the apartment.

After going back and forth with the Westport people for 11 weeks, we learned two weeks ago that we had finally been approved. We scheduled an appointment to go sign papers as well as to pay the deposit and first month's rent. I happened to ask the apartment manager the amount of the deposit and rent. He replied that it would be $550 for each. It was then that I realized that they had completely miscalculated our monthly income!

I had him read me their figuring and I quickly pointed out that they had several numbers wrong. Well, even though we had turned in documentation that showed the accurate figures, we were told that we would need to turn in this information a second time and in a different format. Not only that, but we were given less than 24-hours to do it! Since the documentation would have to come from the Social Security Administration, I told them that it would take, at the very minimum, two days.

Their response? Even though this involved THEIR mistake, not ours, we were told that we would be skipped over on the waiting list and, once the information was verified, we would be in line for the NEXT apartment to come open!

After jumping through so many hoops for 2 1/2 months -- submitting and resubmitting all sorts of documentation -- it was galling that we were being skipped over because they can't add properly! We both said, "Screw this!" We marked Westport off our list.

At about this same time, an apartment came open in Winlock (about one hour east of South Bend). Were we interested? Yes, Della replied. Well then, could you come for an interview in less than two days at 10:00 a.m.? Unfortunately, Della had a medical appointment scheduled for that day. So, she asked if we could come over any other day of that week. NO! Even though we again were at the top of the list, we could only do our interview at one specific time...or we would be removed from the waiting list altogether. So, Winlock came and went.

The one place to date in which we haven't been dicked around is the Dune Grass Apartments in Ocean Shores (about 1.5 hours north of here). Unlike in Westport, the decision was made quickly and we have been granted provisional approval. We have an appointment on Wednesday and, unless a problem arises due to some of our updated information, it is looking more and more like we will be able to sign the lease by the first or second week of September. (We have our fingers crossed, but due to all the crud we've been through so far, we won't take it as a given until we sign on the dotted line.)

I've stated this before, but I am absolutely amazed that we remain here in our soon-to-be foreclosed on home. In January, I thought I would be joining Della shortly in the Columbia River Gorge where she was serving in AmeriCorps. After she was released from the hospital on April 1, we were hopeful that we would find a suitable apartment by mid-June, at the latest. Yet, here we are in late August and we're still in South Bend (in our house that we don't really want to leave anyway).