Knowledge, Power, and Independent Living

People come to ILRCSF because they want to establish or maintain their independence.  When folks ask me what we do for people at ILRCSF, I usually explain that we don't do things for people, we provide them with the support and information they need to do for themselves. We're all about helping people find out about their options, and their rights...about expanding their knowledge in a variety of areas, so that they can plan the lives they want. 

In order for readers of DELA to get an idea of what we do at ILRCSF, and how crucial information and knowledge are, when it comes to making informed choices, I asked some ILRCSF staff members to discuss their experiences working with consumers.

Aine Casey - Work Incentives Coordinator :

"Most people who attend my workshops are surprised to find out just how many options they have, when it comes to paid work. Depending on their particular benefits package, most consumers I meet can do some part-time work, or even return to work full time for a trial period, without the risk of losing their safety net. Most of them can lock in their healthcare, too. There's no hard and fast rule but, once I know exactly what a particular consumer's situation is, I can inform him of just what his options are. One example of this is Lee, a consumer who had been out of work and collecting Disability benefits for several years, due to a chronic condition."

Lee first attended a workshop at ILRCSF because he was was starting to feel stronger, and really wanted to get back to work. He had a job offer on the table, and wanted to give it a try, but he was afraid: what if he went back, and found that it was too much? How would he be able to support himself if he gave up his Disability benefits, only to find himself unable to work full time? At Aine's bi-weekly "How Work Affects Your Benefits" workshop, he learned that people who wanted to return to work did, in fact, have options.  After the workshop, he met with Aine to discuss his specific circumstances. He learned that he could return to work full time to on a trial basis, and test the waters. If it proved too much for him within six months, he could forego the job without losing his Disability benefits. Lee accepted the job offer without fear, and is now a working full time.

Victoria Tedder - Housing Coordinator

"Housing is definitely an area where knowledge is power, especially in San Francisco, where rents are high and accessible units are few and far between. People who attend my weekly housing workshop, or meet with me one-to-one need information, not just about waiting lists and apartment searching, but about their rights as tenants. I meet with a lot of consumers who live in Section 8 housing, and one issue that's come up is the difference between assets and income. If you live in Section 8 housing, and a relative passes away and leaves you money,  as long it's below a certain threshold, it counts as an asset, and not income. People living in Section 8 are allowed to have assets. Some consumers are afraid they'll lose their Section 8 housing because of a one-time bequest, but that just isn't so. Another housing issue where knowledge is power is Rent Control, and how it protects tenants in San Francisco." 

Anna and her partner of ten years co-signed a lease in a rent-controlled apartment and lived together for seven years. When the relationship ended amicably, Anna stayed in the apartment. The landlord contacted Anna and told her she'd have to start fresh with a new lease, and a rent increase of several hundred dollars. Not being able to afford such a steep increase, Anna was about to start searching for a new apartment, until a friend advised her to call ILRCSF and get more information about her rights before making any decisions. She learned that the landlord had no right to increase the rent by hundreds of dollars, or demand a new lease be signed. As one of the original tenants, named on the original lease, Anna was protected by Rent Control laws. Armed with information about her rights, Anna contacted her landlord, told him she'd be staying on at the apartment she'd called home for seven years, that she had no intention of signing a new lease, and that she'd been made aware that his planned rent increase was, in fact, illegal. Anna is still in her apartment.

Derek Zarda - Device lending Library Coordinator :

"The Device Lending Library is ILRCSF's newest program, and I meet all kinds of people who have all kinds of needs. A lot of them aren't sure what they really want - that's why they're interested in the idea of trying before buying. Many people come because they're hoping to identify the right device to help them overcome a barrier at work or school.  I recently met with a woman named Rosa who had a really different type of barrier that she was looking to overcome."

In December, a wheelchair user named Rosa contacted Derek to say that she'd been invited  to go on a road trip with friends who drove a van. She really wanted to take the trip, and was wondering if there was some way she could do this without her friends having to make expensive alterations on their automobile. Derek told her that among the items ILRCSF lends out from the Device Lending Library (DLL) are portable ramps, and that they are lent out to consumers free of charge. Rosa had no idea this would even be an option. She not only borrowed a portable ramp, but she sent us a postcard from The Grand Canyon. In it, she said she was having a great time, that the ramp was exactly what she'd needed, and that she'd never imagined taking an extended road trip could have been so easy.