Forum: Threat of homelessness can be closer than you expect

By Jonetta Coffin / Herald Forum

Let me introduce myself.

I am the face of homelessness in Snohomish County, and we may have more in common than you think.

At age 72, having worked for 45 years in responsible positions (writer and archivist at a daily paper, crisis line counselor, legal process and administrative assistant to a director of state Department of Social and Health Services), and paying into Social Security for all those years, I find myself facing homelessness.

I have rented the same house for 30 years and had an excellent relationship with the owners.

My rent and bills are paid on time and my credit rating is very good.

My criminal record consists of a rolling stop, and a speeding ticket years ago, dismissed in court.

For reasons still unknown to me, I have been told I must move; no firm or legal deadline to leave, but have been subjected to hurtful, unnecessary tactics designed to make remaining here unpleasant at best. Not only am I losing my home, I am losing people I believed to be friends.

I am well aware I must leave, and have no illusions that some miracle will occur.

The problem is, there is nowhere to go, no help available. I have contacted every agency I can find, filled out forms until I’m almost blind, sent dozens of letters to churches and other organizations’ bulletin boards, added myself to online message boards, placed classified ads, all to no avail.

My reason for writing is not to find a place to live — that is something I must do on my own — but to make a statement:

There is something very wrong when a person who played by the rules for a lifetime, paid taxes without complaint, and donated regularly to charities, in what claims to be the best and richest country in the world, faces their “golden years” on the street or in a shelter.

All this on top of several health issues, but with a steady income — earned by lifelong labor — just not enough income to survive in a greedy economy.

If you see similarities in my situation and yours, say a prayer for me and other homeless people;

and be afraid.

As I said, we may have more in common than you think.

Jonetta Coffin — for the time being — lives in Granite Falls.