Are they on some sort of housing assistance?

The cycle of poverty/emergency financial situations makes it difficult to see long term financial solutions.

I would help them apply for SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, subsidized housing if they aren't already on it, and then I would pay the rent, but as a vendor payment - ie, you pay the bills to the landlord. He doesn't sound like a bad person, but he doesn't sound like someone who can manage money at all, either.

Have you and Jommy discussed any of this? How does he feel about it?

Anonymous wrote:If you're going to pay the rent, consult a social security lawyer about the impact this will have on Jimmy's SSI. It could easily reduce it by 1/3. There are free lawyers who might be able to advise him. If this family's in Philadelphia, Community Legal Services is good.

Do Jimmy and the kids get food stamps? Are they on the wait list for public housing and section 8? Is there other subsidized housing where they live? If he does happen to get a section 8 voucher, he can "port" it to move closer to you, even if that's another state.

Excellent point about making sure your financial aid doesn't reduce his SSI and investigating their eligibility for food stamps and housing. Jimmy will need your help managing the onerous application process unless you can find someone else to help nearby. I also think you and your spouse need to think carefully about how long you are willing to extend this aid: Until your nephews graduate from high school? Or do you want to incentivize them to finish a vocational or degree program by covering another 2 or 3 years under the condition they are making steady progress towards completion?

If you're going to pay the rent, consult a social security lawyer about the impact this will have on Jimmy's SSI. It could easily reduce it by 1/3. There are free lawyers who might be able to advise him. If this family's in Philadelphia, Community Legal Services is good.

Do Jimmy and the kids get food stamps? Are they on the wait list for public housing and section 8? Is there other subsidized housing where they live? If he does happen to get a section 8 voucher, he can "port" it to move closer to you, even if that's another state.

Anonymous wrote:These evictions are just unfair and the poor kids are the ones to pay the price!

He is just a victim of income inequality.

No, he's a victim of his own poor planning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These evictions are just unfair and the poor kids are the ones to pay the price!

He is just a victim of income inequality.

Give me a break! Jimmy is a lazy ass. At least he stuck by is kids. Pay the rent OP.

If Jimmy is on SSI, he obviously has a disability & legitimately can't work (at least not FT). It is NOT easy to get on SSI for a disability these days -- you really have to have significant proof that you are unable to work (& even then, you often aren't approved the first time & have to go through a lengthy appeals process). Being disabled, regardless of whether the disability is physical, intellectual or psychological, does not equal being lazy.

Would it be better to buy a small condo that they can live in and that way you at least get most of your money back (hopefully) when you go to sell it?

Anonymous wrote:I'd pay the rent AND host the boys for summer and breaks at least. Keeping them from losing their home is a wonderful gift, but a longer-lasting gift would be to expose them to how big the world is, and how much they could achieve.

You have the ability to show them a world beyond impoverished PA and I guarantee you could change their lives that way.

This

Anonymous wrote:These evictions are just unfair and the poor kids are the ones to pay the price!

He is just a victim of income inequality.

Give me a break! Jimmy is a lazy ass. At least he stuck by is kids. Pay the rent OP.

I don't understand you getting involved in your sister's life unless you were asked to.

If you think about what you're suggesting this family do, you may be expecting everyone to be accountable yet have never been. Money wasted, feelings hurt.

Like when liberals accuse conservatives of being in everyone's business when it comes to food stamps, welfare and subsidized housing. Liberals believe you just hand over the goodies and let the family decide what it's spent on or how they want to live. No matter what.

If you're going to give, it should be without strings attached.

Like everyone else said, pay directly to landlord.

Consider getting copies of the utility bills and registering for online accounts, e-bills etc that you and/or Jimmy can access. That way, you can see when bills are due, amount, IF they've been paid, then pay the company directly when your help is needed.

I also love the idea of hosting the boys during summers and breaks. Maybe they can get summer jobs in DC & save $ to take back home and/or help out a Dad.