Housing Creates Opportunities for Single Mom
By being given the chance to live in housing that was affordable, it provided Amber a very safe, clean place to live on her own with her son. And that set her up for future employment, and she went on to marrying a local police officer and now they have a family and own their home. “Life has definitely worked out for me as a result. I don’t think I’d be where I am had things not worked out the way that they did–and it all basically started for me at the affordable housing situation in Auburn.”
Shared Family Housing
I work with a lot of families and with the average rate of pay, many can’t even afford an apartment. They have to share and combine households just to be able to have a place to live – which is typically too small a home for this. Sometimes you’ll see seven to eight members of a family living in a 2-bedroom apartment. It’s also due to the fact that there aren’t larger rentals available or affordable.
A great need for Affordable housing for Seniors
In moving back to this area about five or six years ago, I didn’t think it would be so hard to find an affordable place to live in South Placer County. My daughter, who lives in Roseville, gave me a hand visiting a lot of locations and I filled out so many applications to no result. At 71, I am on a limited income and could not afford most anything that was available, and there was very little available to begin with in this area.
Limited Housing Options
Ninety-one year old Aghavni Davis is like many seniors living in Placer County. She lives alone, has no close family or friends in the area, and survives on Social Security, SSI and federal housing credits. Now, losing her hearing and legally blind due to macular degeneration, she requires the daily help of a caregiver to manage her daily routine.
Entry-Level Workers
Mike has a master’s degree and works at a financial institution in Roseville. Jessica holds 4 certificates and works as a caregiver in Loomis. Mike and Jessica are young professionals and, as much as they’d like to live in Placer County, they live in Sacramento where it’s more affordable for them at this time. They continue to pursue looking for a home here but, with a less than 2% vacancy rate for rental housing and the median home sale price in Placer County of over $425K, it’s been difficult.
Affordable housing for young working professionals>
Living on a fixed income
Joan has lived in the same apartment for over eight years in Auburn. She reported that her rent has increased multiple times over the years and each time she was given only 30 days’ notice of the increase. Today, her rent stands at $1035 a month, an increase of 25.5 percent, leaving her with a mere $15 to spend. In total, 98.5 percent of Joan’s fixed income now goes to rent.
Affordable housing for individuals living on a fixed income>
Real People, Real Stories
Art, a single father, raised his son in affordable housing in Roseville. Although Art’s son has moved out and is now a father himself, he is still very happy living there after more than eighteen years.
Catherine, a single hard-working mother has lived in affordable housing for over 10 years. Her three children have all graduated from Granite Bay High School and continue to live at home while they work and attend Sierra College.
Balerin thanks Project Go for having affordable housing in our community that has allowed her family to live in a nice, safe, quiet place that they are proud to call home.
Monica has raised her two sons, Alex and Noah, for the last thirteen years in an affordable housing development. Alex graduated high school and received a full-ride scholarship to a university in Kentucky, while her youngest, Noah, will graduate high school this year.
