Yuma woman facing eviction after SSDI were cut following overpayment
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A Yuma native says she is being forced out of her home after her Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits were cut, leaving her unable to keep up with rent.
Dana Clark and her dog, Diesel, now have just four days to pack up and leave the home they have lived in since 2019.
Clark says she has received SSDI benefits since 2009 after suffering head injuries in a motorcycle accident.
According to Clark, her benefits were cut after the Social Security Administration (SSA) determined she had been overpaid.
She believes the overpayment determination stemmed from earning just over the allowable amount while participating in the SSA's Ticket to Work program, which helps disability beneficiaries transition into employment.
"Unfortunately you know your rent doesn't wait… so for the first couple of months I sold everything...like I sold my dad's truck," Clark said. "So I did I made up…I made my payments and then I got some help here and there."
Clark says losing her monthly disability benefits has made it impossible to afford her housing, ultimately leading to her eviction.
"They failed me. They epically failed me. I lost…I lost my house," Clark said. "I was evicted yesterday."
As she prepares to leave her home, Clark says she still struggles to understand what happened.
"It's hard to admit that you didn't understand what was going on," Clark said. "I didn't realize what they were telling me. And now, I'm still going to lose my house."
The SSA's Ticket to Work program allows many SSDI recipients to pursue employment while receiving work supports.
However, beneficiaries remain subject to SSDI work and earnings rules, and in some cases SSA may determine that benefits were overpaid if a recipient is found to have received payments they were not entitled to.
News 11 reached out to the Social Security Administration to learn more about its benefit and overpayment processes, as well as Clark's concerns.
As of this publication, the agency had not responded to our request for comment.
You can help support Clark here.
