Last year, after living in his Prineville apartment for nine years, Jax faced eviction. Since the pandemic, Jax had watched his apartment complex slowly decline. Management and maintenance had not been present in nearly four years, and apartments had been vacated and never attended to, causing even more problems.
Jax’s neighbors moved out and left everything they owned in their apartment. Food was left, and it didn’t take long for mice to move in, and then rats. The apartment became uninhabitable. Jax did all he could to manage his mental and physical health, which he had worked so hard to stabilize. It was nearly impossible though, as he could hear the rats in the walls, and the ceilings, and occasionally saw them in his apartment. He knew he had to move, but waiting lists were years long for another subsidized apartment and he was in the process of applying for Social Security income.
When a new management company took over the property in 2024, they started immediately filing eviction notices with the intent to rebuild. With complete disregard for the people who still lived there, they systematically pushed everyone out. Jax was one of the last remaining tenants, fighting for his right to housing.
Though Jax stayed strong, management continued to file eviction notices - sometimes using scare tactics like posting notices in the middle of the night and lurking around his windows. The notices started to include bills- the first for $18,000 and the next for $22,000 - stating that Jax hadn’t paid his rent in years.
When Jax went to court, he received a packet of information and referrals, including a Thrive brochure. Shortly after, he received a Housing Choice Voucher, and that info packet also included Thrive’s flyer. Needless to say, Jax connected with Thrive and was linked with Community Outreach Advocate Emily. From there, they hit the ground running!
Jax started working with Emily, meeting with her at the Crook County Library and by phone multiple times a week. He felt heard and understood by her, and she moved quickly to connect him with critical resources. Legal Aid was the first connection, and Erin provided critical legal support in what had become a grossly illegal eviction process. He worked with Emily to apply for rentals using his voucher, though the eviction proceedings made that difficult as well.
Throughout the nearly 6 months working with Emily, Erin, and his caregiver Cassie to find a place to live, he was still enduring the torture of living in the rat-infested apartment. When Jax talks about his experience over the past year he says things like, “I have had the most powerful women come into my life”, “These people saved my life”, and “It was a whole team that helped me get out of this situation”. The profound impact that supportive advocates have had on his life does not go unnoticed by him. He is so grateful to Emily, that he now considers her family. “I don’t know what exactly her job is but she went above and beyond to help me…she never once made me feel like I didn’t deserve this help”.
Grateful, kind, and funny Jax finally moved into a new apartment in Redmond in November. Even though it was sparsely furnished at the time, he hosted two relatives for Thanksgiving - with whom he hadn’t had a meal in 20 years. Jax used to be a cook and was excited to roast a turkey in an oven that was brand new and most importantly, rat-free.
After living in fear for so long, Jax is relieved and relaxed in his new apartment. He’s working on some physical health challenges from being in fight-or-flight mode for so long, but he says, “My heart is happy and my mind is better” which allows him to enjoy the things he loves to do. He likes being outdoors, hanging out with his dog and cat, painting, cooking and collecting rocks.
As we chatted, he was painting fluorescent hearts to hang in his living room, which was serendipitous for the love he has in his new spot. Though he expressed so much gratitude, I tried to remind him that it was he who was brave enough to reach out for help. It was he who was smart enough to keep all of his rental paperwork. It was he who was kind enough to share his story so that others do not have to endure the same.
Thank YOU Jax!
Comments