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How Housing Issues Quickly Become Health Issues: Edith’s Story

August 22, 2023

“I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I can’t take a bath. I can’t walk around barefoot. They’re all over my clothes and making me sick.” While having a roof over your head often is a signal of stability, for Edith and her family it’s been anything but that. From bugs to lack of repairs to…

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What is a 14 Day Letter? (Letter and Sample Included)

August 3, 2023

Tenants who are struggling to get their landlord to make repairs, especially repairs materially affecting the health and safety or physical condition of their property, should send their landlord a letter regarding the landlord’s duty to fix the property (per SC Code Ann. § 27-40-610). This is called a 14 Day Letter. When writing a…

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The Impossible Task of Finding Rent on a Budget: Tonia’s Story

June 26, 2023

“They were passing out evictions like ice cream in South Congaree,” says Tonia. Tonia lives in Richland county – at least, she is trying to.   It was just a couple of years ago when she suddenly was forced to move away from her home on Farrow Road. Desperate for a place to go, she…

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Fighting for Stability in the Coverage Gap: Michelle’s Story

June 13, 2023

“My situation throughout life really has been around substance abuse and mental health,” says Michelle. “I have worked long periods of time, been able to maintain jobs so on and so forth… been able to take care of myself, live on my own, had money, so and on and so forth. But with substance abuse,…

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Maya’s Medicaid Story

May 31, 2023

Maya is an aspiring entrepreneur and mother of three. When we spoke with her, her youngest had just turned 4 months old. Over the years she’s worked many jobs: she was a certified nursing assistant, she worked in hospice care, and she’s done rehabilitation and home health. She found her passion as a bakery assistant…

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How Losing Medicaid Can Lead to Spiraling Decisions

May 18, 2023

Amara recently shared the difficulties she has faced as a tenant facing eviction. As she continued to share her experiences, it became clear that challenges with her landlord were not the only issues that she has had to overcome. From housing to healthcare, a variety of issues often go hand in hand. And for Amara…

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“I wanted to cry so bad. Now I feel I’m stuck.” – Amara’s Housing Story

May 15, 2023

When it comes to being a tenant, sometimes trying to do everything right is not enough. That’s a lesson that Amara* has learned in the hardest of ways.  Amara is a mother of three children, who also often cares for four of her nieces and nephews, since their mother tragically passed away. For more than…

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SC Housing Stories: Helping Residents Facing Eviction | NAACP Housing Navigator Program

February 7, 2023

Welcome to another installment of our South Carolina Housing Stories Project!  Our Housing Justice Organizer, Sloan Wilson (she/her), sat down with Ashley Blas (she/her) and Glynnis Hagins (she/her) to learn more about the NAACP’s Housing Navigator Program in Columbia, SC. This program connects folks in Richland County with legal and financial help with those facing…

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Bank and Credit Unions that Provide Small Dollar Loans in South Carolina

January 30, 2023

Payday, auto title and high cost/small dollar installment loans offer an easy solution to get a small or moderate amount of money quickly, but with one big catch. They are often difficult to pay off and many times put a consumer into a debt spiral that can keep them on the hook for years. There are…

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Applications for Free/Reduced School Meals in SC Returns for 2022-2023

August 2, 2022

Español abajoParents, you may have to fill out a free/reduced school lunch meal application for the 2022-2023 school year. Pandemic protections over the past two school years that have let children receive free school meals without the need for applications has ended. This means a return for many school districts to pre-pandemic policies. Check with…

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