Do people lie about FARMS?

[Anonymous]

Who can survive off 40k with a family and not live in subsided housing?

[Anonymous]

People living in an apartment, with family, with other families, etc.

Are you thinking they are getting under the table income that they aren't reporting? I supposed that's possible if they are dependent on tip income or housecleaning or are day laborers but if that's the case they may not be that far above the limit even with the underreported income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who can survive off 40k with a family and not live in subsided housing?

A widow or widower

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who can survive off 40k with a family and not live in subsided housing?

Very, very few families in poverty live in subsidized housing; unfortunately, the waiting lists for most programs are decades long. Instead, they double up, get behind on rent and get evicted, or live in substandard housing. I recommend reading the excellent book Evicted if you want to know more.

[Anonymous]

My students who I know are free lunch (they told me)
1. Mom works at dollar tree, dad is a gardener/drives a snow plow 1 bedroom apartment.
2. Mom cleans houses, dad is out of the country. Rent a (likely illegal) room in a basement.
3. Mom/dad/grandma/3 kids live in a 1 bedroom apartment. Grandma watches the cousins and neighbor kids in the apartment during the day, dad drives a taxi, not sure what mom does.

[Anonymous]

It's easy as long as you have no debt. I live on less than that but I have my house paid off and I don't owe anybody anything.

And FWIW, FARMS goes up well above 40K if you pop out lots of kids.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I checked my neighborhood school and it's almost 50% farms. Houses here are between 600k-800k. One bedroom garden apartments are 1800/m. I used to live in them and they don't seem overcrowded. Not sure how people make it on that little $. And there is no project based subsided housing in the immediate area.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean do they lie? Are you asking if they lie to get free lunches? Or lie about not being in subsidized housing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I checked my neighborhood school and it's almost 50% farms. Houses here are between 600k-800k. One bedroom garden apartments are 1800/m. I used to live in them and they don't seem overcrowded. Not sure how people make it on that little $. And there is no project based subsided housing in the immediate area.

I think maybe you either don't know every neighborhood that feeds your school, don't understand how roommate situation works, or don't understand how subsidized housing works. I don't know which county you're in but in Fairfax, it isn't just a bunch of "projects." Yes, there are a few solely-low income buildings, but the Fairfax Housing Authority also owns many houses and condos throughout the county, mixed in with regular housing. They also have deals with apartment complexes to subsidize X number of units in a building.

Lastly, many complexes also have a certain number of rent controlled units they rent on their own.

I'm honestly kind of dumbfounded at what neighborhood you could possibly be in with a 50% FARMS rate that you would have no clue where they're coming from. Seriously, what school?

[Anonymous]

Our school is supposedly 6% farms. Which I find amazing because that means 45 kids/750.

In our district there are ZERO apartments and ZERO condos. I am not exaggerating. Literally zero. The cheapest townhome is worth $350k and rents for $1800/month. There is no Section 8 or anything like that.

So even figuring 2 kids per family on average, there are 22 families so poor they qualify for FARMS? I have a hard time believing that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school is supposedly 6% farms. Which I find amazing because that means 45 kids/750.

In our district there are ZERO apartments and ZERO condos. I am not exaggerating. Literally zero. The cheapest townhome is worth $350k and rents for $1800/month. There is no Section 8 or anything like that.

So even figuring 2 kids per family on average, there are 22 families so poor they qualify for FARMS? I have a hard time believing that. [/quote

You can't believe the number is so low or so high?

Do you all not realize that people rent out basement, live with relatives, etc? It is SUPER common in this area to see single moms or underemployed families living with parents, in the basements and what not. And that includes places like Great Falls, McLean, etc. Rich parents are the best ones to help out their stumbling adult children (+ kids.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school is supposedly 6% farms. Which I find amazing because that means 45 kids/750.

In our district there are ZERO apartments and ZERO condos. I am not exaggerating. Literally zero. The cheapest townhome is worth $350k and rents for $1800/month. There is no Section 8 or anything like that.

So even figuring 2 kids per family on average, there are 22 families so poor they qualify for FARMS? I have a hard time believing that.

Foster kids?

Families doubled up with relatives in their home?

Families who bought their home in better times, and are now experiencing extended unemployment?

Widow trying to stretch out a life insurance payment?

Housekeeper or other domestic servant with an exception to bring their child to the school by their work?

Kids being brought in for a special education program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school is supposedly 6% farms. Which I find amazing because that means 45 kids/750.

In our district there are ZERO apartments and ZERO condos. I am not exaggerating. Literally zero. The cheapest townhome is worth $350k and rents for $1800/month. There is no Section 8 or anything like that.

So even figuring 2 kids per family on average, there are 22 families so poor they qualify for FARMS? I have a hard time believing that.

Foster kids?

Families doubled up with relatives in their home?

Families who bought their home in better times, and are now experiencing extended unemployment?

Widow trying to stretch out a life insurance payment?

Housekeeper or other domestic servant with an exception to bring their child to the school by their work?

Kids being brought in for a special education program?

This. Honestly, I'm surprised it is so low, even at a school like Langley or Great Falls, which I'm assuming is where OP probably is.

Maybe Fairfax should redistrict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school is supposedly 6% farms. Which I find amazing because that means 45 kids/750.

In our district there are ZERO apartments and ZERO condos. I am not exaggerating. Literally zero. The cheapest townhome is worth $350k and rents for $1800/month. There is no Section 8 or anything like that.

So even figuring 2 kids per family on average, there are 22 families so poor they qualify for FARMS? I have a hard time believing that.

It is probably single parent family moving in with grandparents. Or living in a small illegal apartment in a house. There are several in our small McLean neighborhood, most people do not know about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who can survive off 40k with a family and not live in subsided housing?

NP-- We live in a bedroom community outside 495 -- next to FTB N

I was a defense contractor for 20+ years and got laid off last April. My spouse works retail so no guaranteed income. My house is worth $550 == but we are underwater in order to sell (bought at $575)

My VEC is 340 a week / my spouse takes home base $650 bi-weekly

I wanted to stay at home with my two pre-grade school kids but it looks like I will have to go back to work to meet our bills.

FWIW, as much as I hate to go there, I've applied for FARMS, SNAP, economic hardship for energy, phone, water, etc. you name it.

My point being -- you just don't know what your neighbor is going through so don't judge FARMS or SNAP kids. we are just going through a difficult time, that's all