Well… The little birdy was right about the rain and hearing from The NJ Department of Community Affairs Housing Program today after all. It wasn’t the letter in the mail I was expecting from Housing. It was a voicemail from Housing telling me they haven’t received my completed packet yet and I need to get it to them ASAP. And yet, I have an email from a case manager telling me all is in order with the stuff that needed to be in by April 17th plus other communications showing that I’ve been actively supplying them with the rest of what they asked for as it came in. “When does this crap ever end?”
It’s frustrating because the forms they want filled in aren’t in a digital format that would allow me to do so on my own. It’s crazy when you think about it. “Let’s send the blind guy fill in the blank paper documents!”
Then there’s the voicemail from a nondescript number I received at 3:30 PM telling me they don’t have my completed packet? What does that mean? Is something wrong with the way one or more forms were filled out? How does that even happen when I have an email exchange showing clearly that they do have everything I could possibly send them? “Seriously?”
I’m so tired of feeling like everything is just hanging on by a thread. I go through this process every year and I’ve grown to hate it more and more every year. “I really wish there was another way!”
Fortunately, I have emails of people in the DCA Housing Program who are well positioned to tell me what’s going on, especially since my case manager won’t be in the office again until Friday. So… Hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow, “I’ll have some answers.”
I know the caseload is increasing and they are having more and more people to deal with. So… I do stay on top of things and go out of my way to make things as easy for them as possible. But the number of screwups is increasing with their growing caseload and that’s concerning to me.
There’s got to be a better way of dealing with this stuff for both clients and employees that makes things easier on both sides. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Housing Program is the only agency I deal with in the Garden State that seems to constantly have issues, even when they are handed the moon, sun, and stars on a silver platter. Mental health issues or not, “It’s enough to drive anyone’s anxiety through the roof!”
Sometimes I just get so tired of it all. I really wish I could walk away from this kind of crap. But I can’t and know it has to be this way for whatever reason.
So… I’m stuck with them, and they are stuck with me. It’s just another fire to put out, right? It’s all perfectly normal, right? “New Jersey and You, Perfect Together! Right?”