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Francis Court III leased up three, of the four, units immediately after obtaining a certificate of occupancy. Although there was a waitlist, it took some time to locate the fourth and final family. Due to contracted requirements from a funder, we had to locate a homeless family who fell at or below the 30% AMI. Two weeks later, through a program participant, I met Ray and Laurie. This couple had relocated to the area to be closer to Ray’s disabled veteran father (program participant at our veteran transitional housing). Since relocating, Ray’s 18 year old daughter had a baby boy and signed over guardianship before fleeing the area.
Ray was granted emergency guardianship of his 6-month-old grandson.
Through conversations with this couple, it was evident that they were willing to walk through fire to keep the baby safe but had fallen on some hard times.
Originally, I was interviewing the couple for our Francis Court I waitlist, which had no openings. Throughout the interview, I learned that Ray had just lost his job and Laurie is on SSI. The couple stated that they had fallen into a cycle of using all their money to pay for a hotel room and were sleeping in their truck when the money ran out. Like many unsheltered people, they were stuck in a cycle that did not leave money for application fees, not to mention a deposit. They were also facing the classic dilemma of not making the asked “3x the rent” necessary to qualify for housing. The interview took place near the end of the month when the family was indeed sleeping in their truck.
They mentioned that it was too hot to keep the windows up and the smoke from local fires was beginning to take a toll on them,
additionally, they recollected encounters with seemingly unsafe people who would lurk right outside of their open truck windows at night. Their story, as heartbreaking as it was, was like many that we hear through calls placed to our agency and from people who visit our office to ask for help. But this day and this story was different. It was different because there was a brand new, beautiful, apartment sitting empty, waiting for its first occupants. Knowing that the couple had not a penny to their name and nowhere to sleep that night, I offered them the apartment at Francis Court III. I gave them the keys, showed them the way, and told them to enjoy their first night in their new home. The couple tearfully hugged me with looks of utter disbelief.
No credit check, no rental references, no upfront deposit, merely a tired family who needed a place to live.
Through various donations, the family was able to gather everything they needed to furnish their apartment and the grandparents started to engage in our social services activities. Within the same week, a court investigator visited the apartment and was able to make a positive report to the judge, helping to solidify permanent guardianship with a court recommendation of moving towards adoption. The investigator bluntly told them “If you hadn’t got into this apartment, my recommendation was going to be to take the baby in to protective custody.” Since moving in, it has become official, they were granted permanent guardianship and are fully engaging in everything that Francis Court has to offer. Being selected for Francis Court III was the end of homelessness for this family, but it also serves as a new beginning, a fresh start!
Thank you for supporting fresh starts for the families of Francis Court III, it is more than housing, to these families it is life.
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