CAHEC re
cently sat down with Angel and Carmen Diaz, a couple who moved from Florida to North Carolina earlier this year. They've been married for
31
years and have two bea
utiful daughters together. One daughter, who lives close by their new apartment at Wakefield Commons, helped convince them to move north after she became concerned about their health. "My husband has colon cancer," Carmen explained. "And I have diabetes and just had a kidney transplant. It was time for us to move to a slower paced environment, closer to family, where we could feel peaceful and happy - and we feel that here."
When we asked them about affordable housing, they said they had never heard of it before. "We knew it would cost less to live here, and we liked that, but we had never heard of a tax credit property." Angel and Carmen both receive monthly disability assistance, and their budget was stretched thin while living in their rental home in Florida. "Here, the rent is cheaper and the water is included in our rent. That helps us out a lot. It frees up money for us to buy healthier foods and actually do things that we enjoy!"
Carmen explained that because of her husband's health, it makes more sense to buy organic food. "We could buy a little of it before, but now we can afford to buy more healthy and nutritious food that makes him feel better." They also enjoy all the trees and fresh air in North Carolina. "My husband loves to walk outside for exercise, and he loves that there are so many trees here - it's beautiful!"
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Resident Spotlight: Meet Angel and Carmen
