Mr. Robert Cronin
• Initial Rental Housing Appointment 5.16.23
• Most Recent Appointment 10.5.23
• Number of Action Plans (5

Mr. Cronin is a single divorced man with no dependents. He rides his bike to every rental counseling appointment. He is always early. He always completes all or most of the agreed upon client action task items, from the previous appointment. He is now experiencing the benefits of his efforts. Mr. Cronin took Solita’s House Financial Capabilities Workshop in November 2022 and continues to progress in his goals towards rental stability, savings, budgeting, and restoring his credit.

The client was released from prison September 8, 2022, after serving a twenty-year sentence. He resided in a half-way house three months after his release, and was hospitalized for right shoulder surgery while at the halfway house. Mr. Cronin spent the next sixty days in the hospital and rehab. His time in the halfway house ended while in rehab resulting in the need for housing. Mr. Cronin originally made contact with Solita’s House seeking $300 to $500 rental assistance for his June, 2023 rent. He also expressed a desire to re-establish his credit history and gain strategies to build savings and increase his budgeting and money management skills. Even though the client was advised that all rental and utility grant funds had been exhausted at the time of his request he remained consistent, engaged, and progressive in working with the Housing Counselor towards other stated goals to gain rental stabilization.

Just two months prior to starting rental counseling, Mr. Cronin moved into a one-bed-room unit on a month-to-month lease, paying $1250 a month (utilities included). His move-in cost was $3750, exhausting all available savings. The landlord did not require income verification. The client’s total verifiable income at the time was $207 a month, which is received from a lifetime annuity. The client’s rent and household expenses far exceed his verifiable income of $207.44. One month after moving into the unit he found himself unable to pay the next month’s rent. The initial and primary goal for the counselor was to help Mr. Cronin gain rental stability. The counselor worked with the client to develop several strategies to avoid eviction due to non-payment. The counselor discussed several options for the client to consider increasing his income to alleviate an ongoing deficit for payment of rent and other expenses: getting a roommate to share expenses; looking for a less expensive rental unit; applying with temp services while continuing to pursue his business; re-applying for food stamps; requesting a weekly rental payment plan from his landlord until employment stabilizes, etc.

The counselor’s initial review of the client’s credit report showed no credit score reporting the three national credit reporting agencies. The counselor and client are actively working to validate and dispute three collection accounts shown to have established and reported during the time Mr. Cronin was in prison with no access to credit or debt.

Mr. Cronin only worked several days a week day labor at Raymond James during different seasonal events seating customers, directing traffic, and working concessions to supplement his income. His earnings are paid in cash. The counselor developed a cash reporting excel sheet to help the client manage incoming cash and encourage regular deposits into his bank account. Mr. Cronin’s criminal history continues to limit access to employment opportunities that are best suited for his skill set.

The following are just some of the CLIENT’S COMPLETED ACTION PLAN TASKS

Mr. Cronin is working five days a week on a long-term day labor construction project and earning a consistent income. He is paying rent in full each month based on weekly rental payment arrangements with the landlord. He has submitted validation and dispute letters to all three national reporting agencies and is awaiting responses. He applied and qualified for two open lines of credit in an effort to begin rebuilding his credit history, they are: an installment loan for dental repair and a small balance unsecured credit card. Mr. Cronin receives food a stamp subsidy and he regularly deposits all cash earnings into his bank account for better accounting and money management. He remains actively engaged in the rental counseling program and consistently signs, returns, and completes the client action task items after each follow-up appointment.

Mr. Cronin is a pleasure to work with and continues to meet and exceed both our expectations.

ORIGINAL SHORT-TERM GOALS (5.16.23):

Secure funds to ensure payment for June’s rent

Secure additional “stable | verifiable” income to increase household income

Establish and build credit history (no scores)

Build savings

SHORT-TERM GOALS (updated after 10.5.23 appointment):

• Secure “permanent” stable | verifiable income to ensure rental stability

• Begin Dental Repairs (New Smile!)

• Strengthen Credit History

• Build savings

• LONG-TERM GOAL – Develop and market self-employment business, Atlantis Hydro Tekno, Inc. to serve as primary or sole source of income.

CLIENT ACTION PLAN TASK ITEMS – NEXT STEPS FOR CLIENT (after 10.5.23 appointment)

• Continue to make weekly payments towards monthly rent as agreed

• Discuss payment alternatives and extensions with landlord for October’s rent until regular stable income is secured

• Continue to apply for regular permanent employment

• Continue to submit ongoing Suncoast FCU bank statements and other document updates

• Provide weekly paystubs for new day labor employment

• Provide Disability Claim update letter

• Continue to deposit all cash earnings into checking account

• Continue to monitor credit and responses to credit disputes

• Continue monitoring money management (bank statements – needs vs. wants spending)

• Determine an amount between $5 – $15 for deposit into Suncoast personal savings account

• Begin using the Monthly Excel Cash Reporting Form

• ACTION PLAN – Please review, sign and return