My name is Vanessa.

I am a 34-year-old, newly single mother of 5. I have been a stay-at-home mother for eight years. In January, my husband filed for divorce and as the sole provider also took his income and refused to pay on our home, including taking all our stimulus money.

Needless to say, the rent and utilities have added up to an unfathomable amount.

An eviction was filed and granted on July 27, 2021.

By the Grace of God, I still have not received a red tag and for now my children and I still have a home. 

I have acquired a job; I can pay the rent moving forward and utilities. 

My income, job length, and credit history however do not make me a candidate to be a tenant and sign a lease with American Homes 4 Rent or even most places at that.

My children and I have called this home ours for three years now, they have suffered through enough and I am doing all I can to save our home. 

*-*DID YOU KNOW *-* ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ABUSE is DOMESTIC ABUSE!!

Economic abuse involves maintaining control over financial resources, withholding access to money, or attempting to prevent a victim/survivor from working and/or attending school in an effort to create financial dependence as a means of control. Victims and survivors are often forced to choose between staying in abusive relationships and poverty or even homelessness. Economic abuse is a very common reason victims stay in abusive relationships. Economic abuse can take many forms.

One is REFUSING TO PAY COURT-ORDERED CHILD OR SPOUSAL SUPPORT 

BETWEEN 94-99% OF DOMESTIC ABUST SURVIVORS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED ECONOMIC ABUSE!  -

Read more in the PDF below - 

https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/economic_abuse.pdf

Please sign to ask American Homes 4 Rent to make an exception to their outrageous qualifications (3x the rent, over 6k a month?) and sign a lease with this single mother and allow her to pay moving forward so her and her children can continue to have a home. 

We are facing a homeless shelter when the red tag hits our door. 

I can pay September's rent and utilities right now and moving forward.

I just need them to accept my money and sign a lease with me and give me a chance. 

American Homes 4 Rent is a large company and has purchased many properties across our community, I believe their decision will speak on as to whether some do or do not want to do business with them in the future. 

I know personally as a survivor I would only want to do business with those who support survivors. They are willing to take anyone else's money, mine is just as good as anyone else's and this means the difference of having a home or being homeless and it's all in hands of American Homes 4 Rent. 

Please join me in asking them to show their support to the growing community of domestic violence survivors. 

-It takes a village-