Jean Banks, 65, a former teacher's aide who said she had to stop working when she developed heart problems and severe arthritis, said she is terrified of possibly getting cut from the program. "I'm scared to death," she said.
Banks moved to Montgomery from Philadelphia seven years ago. She shares a two-bedroom apartment in Silver Spring with her 37-year-old son, who is her caregiver. She receives $575 a month in Social Security payments. She pays $165 of the $1,035 monthly rent and the county covers the rest.
The apartment complex is clean and safe and has a pool. "I am living better now than I ever lived in my life," she said.
Local and federal officials disagree about the funding picture, with local leaders arguing that their budgets are inadequate.
Fairfax County officials said they will have to dip into their reserves for the additional $200,000 they need this year to subsidize rents for the 3,400 families they serve.
According to the study, Fairfax could have an $8.3 million shortfall by 2010. The county, whose housing assistance budget this year is $34.5 million, has 7,000 residents waiting for vouchers.
"The trend is in a direction we don't like, and it's getting worse and worse," said Paula Sampson, director of the county's Department of Housing and Community Development.
Montgomery County officials said they made some drastic changes to the program in January after they were notified that they would receive $29 million in federal money to run the program until June, nearly $5 million less than they received for the previous six months.
Residents now have to pay at least $50 in rent each month, up from $25. If their salaries increase, their rent contribution will increase immediately, when in the past they had a grace period.
The county also is paying a smaller share of rents, leaving it to tenants to make up the difference.
"I'm just devastated," said Lillian Durham, director of resident services for Montgomery's Housing Opportunities Commission.
"I'm not sure I can stand to do this to folks. It's really going to be bad."
