JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA) is being investigated by the city, more community members are coming forward with concerns about the long wait for help.
Right now, the average wait time for the Housing Voucher program — which provides rental assistance to families in need — is two years. But even after waiting and being accepted into the program, one woman said she still can’t get answers from anyone at JHA.
Part of the reason is the demand for low-income housing in Jacksonville far exceeds what’s available right now. An even bigger problem, according to community members, is the lack of communication from JHA staff.
“I’m just you know, a single mom trying to make it. I don’t have no help,” a woman who did not want to be identified told News4JAX. She asked News4JAX to conceal her identity because she didn’t want to lose her opportunity to get rental assistance but reached out because she was feeling helpless.
The mother of four said she applied for the Housing Voucher program in 2020 and was approved for a voucher almost three years later, in April.
She said the voucher could change her life.
“We’re piled up in here. I got my deep freezer in the living room,” she said.
But since her approval for a voucher eight months ago it’s been a waiting game with little to no communication from anyone at the Jacksonville Housing Authority on when she might be able to move. All she knows is that her file is on hold.
“Just waiting on the call to say ‘Hey, it’s time,’” she said.
JHA officials said 98,000 people are on the waiting list for housing assistance in Jacksonville. City officials said Jacksonville is 35,000 units short of where it needs to be.
Other community members are also complaining about the long wait times and lack of communication.
“I haven’t heard from anyone regarding my application,” one viewer wrote.
“Very, very hard to talk to someone. It’s very hard and when you call seems like no one can tell you nothing, no answers,” another viewer wrote.
News4JAX sought some answers on Wednesday at a news conference where Mayor Donna Deegan gathered with other city officials to sign legislation aimed at combating homelessness.
“The Housing Authority is not really a part of this bill,” Deegan said. “At the end of the day what we want is to fast track as much as we can affordable housing as we can get. We’re all on that page.”
When News4JAX talked to the Housing Authority CEO Monday about long wait times, he disagreed that customers were upset and said his staff are “client sensitive” and focused on helping applicants.