MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Saying Brenda Turner is ready for her next move is an understatement.
“I want to live where I don’t have to be looking out the window and getting under my bed and wondering if somebody gonna crawl through the window,” she said.
She is anxious to get her Section 8 voucher to move out of Foote Homes Housing Development..
“Two more weeks and we will have our vouchers and we can get to stepping,” Turner said.
The only thing standing in her way is finding a place to call home.
She and 378 other residents have to move since Foote Homes is being torn down. Add to that 355 people forced out of Warren and Tulane Apartments because of living conditions — all are looking for new homes.
Tuesday, a housing fair put on by the Memphis Housing Authority made their search a little easier.
“Instead of again getting in a car, going on a bus, trying to find different locations, you can come to one location and a nice place like this, very comfortable. You can interview landlords. Landlords can interview you. You can figure out where you want to go,” said Ed Jennings, a HUD regional administrator.
At the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, those searching for apartments met those with property to rent. Sixty-eight landlords signed up.
“We have rents that are very affordable in the price range for this market,” said Connie Wakeman with the Tanglewood Apartments.
Montoyia Johnson likes the one-stop-shop convenience.
“I was having bad luck before trying to find it on my own, but this is much better,” she said.
For Jada Meeks, this was a good way to show the house she has for rent.
“There are a lot of property owners that have properties that could help the families looking for a nice place to live. I wanted to be available to let them know I have a property for them,” she said.
The residents have vouchers with how much rent subsidy they will receive. Property owners show what they have in that price range.
Some tenants also pay part of their rent based on their income.
“I know I can afford $500. It’s a house,” Turner said.
The main idea is to make sure those searching for homes have all the help they can get, to get out and get on with their lives.
Housing officials said there are some 2,500 available rentals in the metro area. The vouchers the residents get can also be used in other areas of the country.