Clues to her condition were hidden in her work file. On February 7, 2008, she requested a three-day sick leave, complaining of lower back pain. Her superiors warned that she could be placed on the “sick control list.” With that, Joanie stopped going to work. She said nothing to Chanel, who faced her own crisis. For the last eighteen months, she had been paying rent with the city’s time-limited subsidy—the program designed to encourage financial independence. As the subsidy decreased, the renter was expected to bridge the gap. By February, Chanel had defaulted. The family was once again
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