Susie Mitchell always kept coloring books, Barbie dolls and teddy bears in her and her mother’s apartment for when her siblings or cousins would drop off their children.

Wishing she had a child of her own, she adores babysitting. But the kids can’t come over now that she’s living in a rooming house in Frayser.

The Emergency Rental Assistance program saved her from eviction last summer, but she struggled to pay her rising rent. When she couldn’t pay all of August’s $735 rent, she offered her property manager the $670 she’d been paying until she could come up with the rest. The manager refused and filed an eviction against her and her 66-year-old mother, Shirley Mitchell, who’s now sleeping on her sister’s couch.

Since September, Mitchell has depleted her savings applying for apartments. Each time, she’s paid the application fee — usually $100 — after being assured she had a good chance of approval.

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