ST. GEORGE, Utah — The hunt for housing for many Utah families has been increasingly difficult. Amid the topsy-turvy seller’s market and a lack of affordable homes, one Toquerville woman was hopeful when she thought she had landed a perfect spot for her disabled mother.
Las Vegas-transplant Kimberly Osborne decided in March that she wanted to move her 74-year-old mother Glenda to Utah, and thought she found an ideal home at Summit Pointe Apartments, a senior living complex in St. George.
“I called and the lady told me I can get on the waiting list, and she said it would be about six months,” said Osborne. “She said all you have to do is just keep calling every month to keep her on the list.”
So Osborne called and called until finally, “October 25, she called me and told me, ‘I emailed you this letter, you need to fill it out, sign it and get it back to me before the end of the day.’ So I did,” she said.
But even after climbing to the top of the waiting list, there was still a wait.
“I didn’t hear nothing else," Osborne explained. "November 4, I called and it usually goes to voicemail if nobody answers. Nobody answered. I called back on the 7th and I called a couple times throughout the day.
"I called back on the 9th and the 10th, and then on the 17th of November; I get an email telling me that due to the increase in Social Security that it puts her over the limit and that she is no longer eligible for the apartment.”
Upset after a nearly nine-month delay, Osborne called the St. George Housing Authority, who encouraged her to call 2-1-1, which then prompted her to call the property’s management team.
“I explained to [the apartment complex] what had happened and that I wanted to speak to somebody higher up. They took my information, but nobody ever called," said Osborne. “If they’re doing this to me, then they’re doing this to other people.”
FOX 13 News went to the St. George Housing Authority to get answers, where it was learned that there is no set standard for income limitations as apartment complexes are allowed to set their own income requirements.
“The application is kind of the key component to say look, here’s what we expect to be on our program. If you qualify, we want to work with you,” said Michael Barben, director of the St. George Housing Authority. “Because these income limits change, I don’t want them to lose hope. But often times we can say, ‘Look, we’ll get you back on the waiting list. let’s see with the income limits do next year.'”
That information was passed along to Osborne who, despite the roadblock, is still working to find a home for her mom close to Toqueville.
“I know that I’ll find something and I’ll be able to call her and tell her.”