Terra Fondriest

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For Tenants Nationwide, a Scramble to Pay Months of Rent or Face Eviction

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Kori Ceola waits with all her p... a place that's closer.

Kori Ceola waits with all her possessions behind the Speedway gas station and store on Emma St. (where she works) for a ride promised by a friend that never came in Springdale, AR on July 28, 2021. She ended up having to call an Uber to get to the motel where she was going to stay that night that is 6.3 miles away in the next town. For the past week and a half, Kori and 3 other homeless people were staying in Springdale with a woman that had a roach/rat/bed bug/mold infested apartment and visits the local park to find homeless that need a place to stay in return for them paying her rent. After a week and a half there, Kori and the 3 others decided they'd had enough and went in on a Motel 6 room in neighboring Fayetteville. A free public bus line will be Kori's transportation to her work at Speedway until they can find a place that's closer.

Through tears, Kori Ceola talks...;quot; says Kori of her tattoo.

Through tears, Kori Ceola talks about the death of her mother and best friend at the Luther George Park in Springdale, AR on July 27, 2021. Her 'mama' passed in 2011 and Kori explains that this was the beginning of her depression. Her 'mama' Linda Gayle Ceola and 'grammy' Betty Jean Glass were her lifelines and they are gone. Kori has a tattoo of a crescent moon dreamcatcher in honor of her mother who was Choctaw and Irish. "Nobody can take it from me and it will always be there. It's a reminder of how much those two women meant in my life," says Kori of her tattoo.

Kori Ceola walks with her two d...e my dogs." says Kori.

Kori Ceola walks with her two dogs Charlie and Hoss and bag full of possessions from the Luther George Park over to the Speedway gas station and store to get a drink for herself and her dogs in Springdale, AR on July 27, 2021. Both of Kori's dogs are registered emotional support dogs. "If I walk in a circle, they walk in a circle. They follow me everywhere. They are the only thing that is always there for me, I love my dogs." says Kori.

Kori Ceola shows the tattoo she...;quot; says Kori of her tattoo.

Kori Ceola shows the tattoo she has on her back in honor of her deceased mother in Springdale, AR on July 27, 2021. Her 'mama' passed in 2011 and Kori explains that this was the beginning of her depression. Her 'mama' Linda Gayle Ceola and 'grammy' Betty Jean Glass were her lifelines and they are gone. Kori's tattoo of a crescent moon dreamcatcher is in honor of her mother who was Choctaw and Irish. "Nobody can take it from me and it will always be there. It's a reminder of how much those two women meant in my life," says Kori of her tattoo.

Kori Ceola outside of the Park ... Kori of the apartment complex.

Kori Ceola outside of the Park Street apartment complex apt 103 she was evicted from in Springdale, AR on July 27, 2021. When Kori was evicted from her apartment, she gave her furniture and most possessions that she'd worked hard for to her neighbors in the other apartments. "I felt safe here, we all watched out for each other." says Kori of the apartment complex.

Kori Ceola outside of the Park Street apartment complex she was evicted from in Springdale, AR on July 27, 2021. When Kori was evicted from her apartment, she gave her furniture and most possessions that she'd worked hard for to her neighbors in the other apartments. "I felt safe here, we all watched out for each other." says Kori of the apartment complex.

Kori Ceola sits with her dogs H...store kitty corner to the Park.

Kori Ceola sits with her dogs Hoss and Charlie and bag of possessions at the Luther George Park in Springdale, AR on July 27, 2021. Both of Kori's dogs are registered emotional support dogs. "If I walk in a circle, they walk in a circle. They follow me everywhere. They are the only thing that is always there for me, I love my dogs." says Kori. Kori spends much of her time between the Park and the Speedway gas station store kitty corner to the Park.

After Kori Ceola waited with al... of keeping a positive outlook.

After Kori Ceola waited with all her possessions behind the Speedway gas station and store on Emma St. (where she works) for a ride promised by a friend that never came, she resorted to using Uber in Springdale, AR on July 28, 2021. Kori and the driver loaded all her things and headed the 6.3 miles to the Motel 6 in neighboring Fayetteville where she was going to be staying that night with 3 other homeless acquaintances. For the past week and a half, Kori and the 3 other homeless people were staying not to far from the Speedway gas station and store in Springdale with a woman that had a roach/rat/bed bug/mold infested apartment and visits the local park to find homeless that need a place to stay in return for them paying her rent. After a week and a half there, Kori and the 3 others decided they'd had enough and went in on this Motel 6 room, with the plan to stay 12 days there. A free public bus line will be Kori's transportation to her work at Speedway until they can find a place that's closer. In an ever evolving scene, Kori is always having to adapt. As she talked through her situation she said, "I'm trying to figure it out. I will. I always do." As she talked with people at the Speedway while working earlier, I overheard her say to a customer that was having a hard time, "It'll get better, it always gets better." Kori has a way of keeping a positive outlook.

L-R Leslie Landers, Kori Ceola ... of keeping a positive outlook.

L-R Leslie Landers, Kori Ceola with her dog Hoss, Leslie's huaband Erick Ibarra, and Montarius Sanford in their room at the Motel 6 in Fayetteville, AR on July 28, 2021. Leslie and Erick have been without a home for about a year (Erick currently has Covid, putting him out of work at the moment from his job at Taco Bell), and for Montarius, it's been close to 8 months without a home. After everyone helped unload Kori's things and get her moved into the room, Leslie told Kori, "We've all showered, so now it's free for you." For the past week and a half, Kori and the 3 others were staying not too far from the Speedway gas station and store in Springdale with a woman that had a roach/rat/bed bug/mold infested apartment and visits the local park to find homeless that need a place to stay in return for them paying her rent. After a week and a half there, Kori and the 3 others decided they'd had enough and went in on this Motel 6 room, with the plan to stay 12 days there. A free public bus line will be Kori's transportation to her work at Speedway until they can find a place that's closer. In an ever evolving scene, Kori is always having to adapt. As she talked through her situation she said, "I'm trying to figure it out. I will. I always do." As she talked with people at the Speedway while working earlier, I overheard her say to a customer that was having a hard time, "It'll get better, it always gets better." Kori has a way of keeping a positive outlook.

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Media News

For Tenants Nationwide, a Scramble to Pay Months of Rent or Face Eviction

terra fondriest and others for nyt

Aug 11, 2021

Location: springdale, ar

For Tenants Nationwide, a Scramble to Pay Months of Rent or Face Eviction
A federal eviction moratorium is scheduled to end on Saturday. Many tenants are packing up and facing an uncertain future.
Nytimes.com

Terra Fondriest

Feb 5, 2020

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