An acquaintance is 64 years old, and has Alzheimer’s. He can’t work because the Alzheimer’s is too advanced, so he lives on $700 a month in Social Security.
Thanks to our Legislature, he can’t get Medicaid; so he can’t afford to get declared disabled by a doctor and receive more in SS benefits. He applied for subsidized housing but was turned down because of a felony on his record from the early ’90s for possession of marijuana. He has no family for help, so given the high rental rates in the area, this confused, elderly man will likely end up homeless.
I understand they are trying to weed out (no pun intended) people who have criminal records, but shouldn’t there be some discretion allowed on the part of caseworkers?
Shar Wood, Taylorsville