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SLO County employee on the public dole despite nearly $60,000 salary

January 16, 2019

Cassandra DeSpain speaking during public comment at a Dec. 2018 board of supervisors meeting

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A San Luis Obispo County employee who makes nearly $75,000 a year in cash and benefits receives public housing assistance under a program that allows previously low-income households to continue receiving government-funded rent assistance. [Cal Coast Times]

Last month, a group of striking employees spoke of their financial hardships during a SLO County Board of Supervisors meeting. Cassandra DeSpain, a county employment/resource specialist, said her wages are so low she continues to qualify for Medi-Cal and Section 8 housing subsidies.

“Very much pride and humility to admit the fact that even after a five-year (employment), me and my two children, we still qualify for Medi-Cal and Section 8,” DeSpain said. “If my wages were fair living wages, there is absolutely no reason I should qualify for those programs.”

In 2017, DeSpain received pay of $58,626 and $74,828 in total compensation, according to the Transparent California database.

In order to qualify for the Section 8 Housing Program, a three-person household must have a gross income of no more than $37,450, according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) income limits for SLO County. However, a program recipient can continue to receive benefits as long as their base salary remains below the median income for the area and their combined rent and utilities remain at a level below 30 percent of their household’s income, HASLO Executive Director Scott Smith said.

After Cal Coast Times reported on DeSpain’s public comment, she sent an email explaining how she continues to qualify for government-funded rent assistance.

“My household is a continued eligible household and has been for many years,” DeSpain wrote. “This means that the guidelines are different than an entrant applicant and my income is calculated as a percentage to my rent ratio. I continue to carry eligibility as my income to rent ratio has not been exceeded. Since my employment with the county, I have come ever closer to falling out of the eligibility. Today Section 8 pays $170 and I pay $1,235 for a total rent of $1,405. I live in a little two bedroom apartment that I have occupied for almost 12 years.”

SLO County has a median income of $59,900, putting DeSpain’s 2017 pay just below the limit.

Even so, DeSpain’s clarification raises questions as to whether she is occupying space in the program that could go to a program applicant with substantially lower income. The program operates on a lottery with generally about 1,250 applicants battling for 250 to 800 subsidized rentals.

Jerry Brown, a media liaison for HUD, said the aim of Section 8 is to shift people from receiving government assistance to self-sufficiency.

“The goal is to move people to self supporting,” Brown said. “People with higher incomes should not be occupying space needed by others.”

DeSpain did not respond to two email requests for comment, asking whether or not she believes it is right for her to remain on Section 8 and asking how the pay raise for which she is advocating would would impact her Section 8 eligibility.

Last month, SLO County employees carried out the first strike in county government history. County officials had agreed to give union members .5 percent salary increases for the current fiscal year, and 2 percent raises effective July 1, 2019. The union rejected the deal, demanding raises of an additional 2.5 percent, to give them 3 percent raises for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

The strike concluded with county officials saying they were not planning on any further salary negotiations for the current fiscal year and that, in early 2019, they would discuss pay increases for 2019-2020. The county then announced a projected budget shortfall of $5 million to $10 million for 2019-2020.


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I was a teenage parent in slo county , I raised 5 kids in SLO county .I got out of school in 11th grade I worked as a mechanic during the day and nights at restaurants at 19 opened my own auto repair shop I worked 16 to 18 hour days ,, my kids and myself were never on welfare or any public assistance ,,for over 20 years I had my business and also a job at same time 7 days a week .At one time we did think about applying for sec 8 but was told 5 year wait on list ,, meanwhile illegal immigrants were almost instantly receiving sec 8 , so we never applied . I bought first house at 24 a Mobil home .My kids played sports , raced motorcycles , had horses etc etc that other kids had , meanwhile I raced cars and motorcycles .Hard work pays off and I was a single parent for 9 years .This lady is using her job as a way to gain benefits she is a HR Specialist so she knows how to work the system.


40

That’s uniquely American. –George Bush


-14

She’s stealing low income housing from a family who really needs it:(


34

She should not be in section 8 or be receiving benefits plain and simple, 75k a year is enough to afford her own apartment, actual people in poverty need those apartments. She seems to have plenty to go on exotic vacations, see her Facebook photos from November of 2018 on a tropical beach with her boyfriend.


48

I rarely defend SLO County or their employees, but the responses are ridiculous, boardering on stupid.

But take a step back. Who is supposed to work and live in SLO county? The cost of living in any coastal community is extreme, and those who can afford to live there comfortably, do not want this woman’s job. Who do you all expect nurses, fireman, police officers, bus drivers to live within their communities? And they do so thanks to unions, typically, because “the people” are cheap or miserly. $75K….is nothing in SLO Co, because of the cost of living. In comparison to other coastal communities, $3K a month for both rent or a mortgage is normal, if not low-balling it. With 2 children, and her cost of living expenses, I doubt she sporting a new car every 2 years. She totally deserves a little help.


(And I am a business owner. Crane company. Own & operate 11 cranes. Lifelong Republican too. No Section 8 for me. But I agree with it in cases such as this.)


-23

Worth some clarification here. First off if you check transparent California you would see that in most local cities that firemen are usually the highest paid individuals in their jurisdictions. Others make a good living too and then the benefit and retirement packages are beyond reach of the normal private sector workers who by far outnumber the public employees. They somehow survive. The problems is more the lifestyle that some lead with the new cars, trucks, boats etc.. Reading your reply I guess we could assume that you probably pay all of your employees at least $100,000 a year, provide full benefits and match any retirement program that you may have. If so my hat is off to you.


28

Government handouts are like hand feeding wild animals. The animals would rather have the food given to them then forage or hunt for themselves. Eventually they expect it and won’t hunt for themselves.


28

Over the last 40 years or so I have been witness to the cheapness and expected that everything should be discounted to govt employees. They act like no matter what they throw away or ruin that there will be another govt check in their bank account ….There is no way this woman should be on section 8 ,,, section 8 in military terms means person mentally unfit for service .I’d be willing to bet she shows up in her new car at the Food Bank to get free food ….There is this thing called Karma


23

So a single mother with children, who qualifies legally for assistance by your account, is the subject of derision because she advocates for better pay?


She’d like a job that paid well enough to get completely off the program.


I think you missed her point altogether.


Believe it or not it is hard to live on that income here on central coast.


Why not examine that issue?


It may take more effort to write. Though it is easier to drive the bus over your neighbors.


Cracker Jack reporting there Josh.


-18

Working the system. Just another SLO scandal that will just be overlooked. Now what will the next one be?


17

As with many on the public dole, “HYPOCRITE”. Time to thin the employee roles, starting with Cassandra DeSpain, then she can honorably and morally obtain “my” housing assistance.


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