The other day I saw Robert Phillips, who I wrote two columns about last year, and I wondered about his housing situation.

Phillips was the homeless man who was seriously injured last October when two other homeless people tried to steal his Beagle Freddy.

Thanks to the generosity of readers who sent in contibutions, Phillips and Freddy moved into a studio apartment in December. But that money was supposed to run out in April.

I called Denise Leibel, executive director of the Community Council of St. Charles County, who is helping Phillips. She said if Robert can pay half of the rent (he did last month with money he got panhandling), there is enough in a fund for him to stay in the apartment until the end of November.   If he can’t pay half, he only has until July 31.

Phillips is a Vietnam veteran, and has applied for SSI, but Leibel told me she has asked Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond’s office to help expedite his application.

As for the criminal cases against the two people accused of assaulting Phillips, they have been bound over to a higher court, Circuit Court, and they are both scheduled to be arraigned next month. Phillips has said he is planning to stay in town so he can testify at the court proceedings.

Anyone wishing to contibute to Phillips may still do so at any of New Frontier Banks’ three locations in St. Charles County or they can send checks made out to Community Council of St. Charles County to: New Frontier Bank, 5000 Winghaven Boulevard, O’Fallon, Mo., 63366.

Here’s the video of Phillips and Freddy, shot last fall.