Due to the nature of the United States welfare system, earning even a little more than the qualifying amount for Section 8 can mean losing eligibility status.
Loss of eligibility status results in the loss of housing. Newly acquired income often cannot replace the quality of housing provided by Section 8 in Pittsburgh's overpriced housing market.
Coupled with other government programs in an attempt to give low-income families a minimum standard of living, an increase in income of any kind often results in a loss of additional assistance programs as well.
Therefore, once someone moves into Section 8 housing, they rarely attempt to get out of it. Working harder for an increase in income results in a decrease in living standards and, often, homelessness.
Welcome to the projects. No one cares about you. You will never leave.
Mary sat quietly in her living room, a pizza box on the table, and Bluey on the television. Isabel and Henrique Garcia, twin six-year-olds from the apartment next door, sat with eyes glued to the little dogs on the screen. Mary, eating a slice of Pepperoni, couldn't tear her eyes away either. The little kid dogs were acting out some sort of play for their parent dogs and Mary was certain they just alluded to the mom dog having trauma from a miscarriage. Who the fuck puts that in a television show for kids? Who was this for?
But, Mary couldn't look away either. It was being handled so quickly and so well that she almost felt bad for the fictional mom dog. A knock at the door prompted her to leap from the ratty grey couch and rush over to her cyan door. If it was her bros and Maurice then they were way too early and they were about to have a problem. Looking through the peephole, she spied Mrs. Garcia and smiled. Opening the door, she greeted the old Mexican woman, "Mrs. Garcia oh good to see you's! The twins been fine! Fed and good to go- no no, no money. You's don't owe me nothin' today. Just make sure to remember to invite me to Isabel's Quinceañera in ten years! Oh, when she's fifteen? Well, eleven and a half years then haha!"
Mary couldn't get the twins and Mrs. Garcia out of the house fast enough. She loved those little kids, but her brothers were supposed to be back soon with Maurice and they had work to do to him. Waving goodbye to the little ones, Mary closed the door, locked the door, deadbolted the door, chained the door, and then moved off toward the kitchen. From her position in the kitchen, she could still see the TV. Mary was going to finish this episode of Bluey, but she could also cook some eggs while she waited.