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Betty

Philadelphia, PA
Economic Human Rights Violations of UDHR Articles 23 and 25

In October of 1996, Betty and her 2 year old granddaughter Tashiba, were faced with the stark realities of homelessness. An accidental house fire destroyed the second floor of her residence, leaving the first floor intact.

Betty had been laid off from her job 2 years before when the factory she worked for moved to Virginia. Betty had no fire insurance and was told that $25,000 would be needed to repair the house. While the Red Cross was able to provide Betty and her granddaughter with some food and clothing, they provided no assistance for repairs to the house or other housing options.

Shelters in the Philadelphia area were full, and any available spaces were closed to women with children. Left with few resources, Betty decided that her best course of action would be to live in the first floor of her house. She and Tashiba stayed there for eight months. Betty went to city agencies looking for emergency funds or programs to help her out in repairing the house. She searched unsuccessfully for three months until one day, while in line waiting for food stamps, she was given a Kensington Welfare Rights Union flyer.

She called the number on the flyer and was asked, "Are you willing to fight for your right to affordable housing?" Betty replied with certainty, "Sure, I am." Betty participated in establishing nine tent cities which were all taken down by the City of Philadelphia even though the city shelters were full. Betty and Tashiba marched with the KWRU from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to the United Nations in New York City.

Two weeks after marching to expose the horrible economic human rights violations that were happening to the poor in the United States, Betty received a visit from the Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS concluded that because Betty could not find fit and adequate housing she was an unfit parent. Tashiba was taken away from her grandmother and placed in a foster care center and the house was boarded up.

KWRU was able to get Betty an appointment with Section 8. Betty was told she could not get the Section 8 unless she had custody of her granddaughter. Family court would not give custody to Betty until she found a fit home . Betty and Tashiba were caught in a vicious circle. All that is keeping this family from being reunited is a letter from the DHS social worker stating that once she receives section 8 she will be given custody of Tashiba.

During this time Tashiba has begun to display emotional distress because of her separation from her grandmother. She developed speech problems and is now being sent to a child therapist. Betty is also suffering from overwhelming stress because of the situation. She was cut off of welfare because she no longer had custody of her granddaughter. Because of the lack of help in her emergency need for housing, Betty has been left without her granddaughter, homeless and without and income to support herself.