Joe Kline / The Bulletin Dennis and Jessica Lewis were featured in a Bulletin Jan. 30 story about homelessness. The couple had been approved for permanent housing and planned to move in this weekend. But this week they learned the approval was rescinded.

A family featured in a Bulletin story Jan. 30 on homelessness was accepted into permanent housing in Bend, only to be denied days before they planned to move in, according to the family and Bethlehem Inn staff.

Jessica and Dennis Lewis found themselves living in Bethlehem Inn’s family shelter after a six-month slide into poverty. Liz Clemens, Families First program manager at Bethlehem Inn, worked with the Lewises to help them find jobs and acquire much-needed social services.

Three weeks ago, Cedar West Apartments in northeast Bend called the Lewises and told them their application for an apartment had been approved, Dennis Lewis said. Chris Clouart, managing director of Bethlehem Inn, confirmed that the Lewises received paperwork from Cedar West stating they met its income requirements for affordable housing. The family planned to move in this weekend.

But Dennis said he received another call from the apartment complex Tuesday. He was told their application for housing was being denied because he and his wife’s income had been recalculated, and they now made too much money. Cedar West did not return The Bulletin’s call for comment.

“I have no idea why they decided to redo the math,” Dennis Lewis said. “I’m sure they didn’t mean to shoo us out. I don’t see prejudice or anything shady here, but they just changed the math two days before we were supposed to move in.”

Dennis Lewis said when they applied for housing, they submitted a letter from Jessica’s employer stating she would be working 28-32 hours per week. Jessica worked 40 hours during her first week for training at a local fast-food restaurant, after which her hours dropped to 32 hours or fewer per week, he said. She earns $9.50 an hour, plus an average of $3 to $8 in tips each day, Lewis said.

Clouart said it’s possible that Cedar West is simply following very hard mandates from the federal government. He believes the larger issues is that although the Lewises are “doing everything they can to pull themselves out of poverty,” they are being punished for their success by a bureaucratic and failing social safety net system, he said.

“Like so many other families and individuals in our community, Jessica and Dennis are victim to a housing market and greater social system that is built to keep them without housing and in poverty,” Clemens wrote in an email. “As a community, we need to acknowledge our commitment to supporting each other and providing opportunities to those who are working hard to provide for themselves and their families.”

The Lewises are working hard to find another apartment, while Clemens searches for other programs that could help them move forward.

— Reporter: 541-383-0354,

jrockow@bendbulletin.com