Homeless to Habitat

Despite housing being a basic human need, affordable housing has been increasingly harder to find in the last 10 years. According to a study done by IProperty Management, between 2012 and 2022, rent has increased by 34.94% while wages have only increased by 9.5%.  

Although the rent is increasing, it rarely comes with an upgrade to the properties.  

Sylvia lived in an apartment complex for five years that went through six ownership changes, each worse than the last, until her apartment was overpriced and unlivable.

“I just watched the property go down and I got tired of the neighbors, kids and riding up and down the stairs,” Sylvia explained. “I was just like, ‘God, can you please bless me with a house?’”

Sylvia eventually lost her apartment and was forced to move into City of Refuge, a faith-based organization that helps individuals and families transition out of crisis.  

She gave herself three to six months to find another apartment.  As she began to look, she found a “cheap” one bedroom apartment started at $975 and complexes require that renters make three times the rent to even apply.

The other women at the shelter were also facing the same issue, especially those with children who needed more than one room.  With renting an apartment out of the picture, Sylvia along with the women at the shelter began taking housing workshops, including Habitat’s.  

At the time that Sylvia took the Habitat workshop, she didn’t think she would enter the program. She was just supporting a friend who was interested.  

Sylvia had decided to go with another program and had started the process to get a little house in the city. Unfortunately, that opportunity fell through.

Although she had many setbacks, Sylvia remained positive and knew that God had a plan for her, and He was simply removing the options that were not for her.  

“It’s in the Lord’s time and he’s going to put me where I need to be,” Sylvia said. “I just refuse to give up and as I looked at how much time I put in, there’s no way I can give up now because eventually it’s going to happen as long as I’m still here.”

By happenstance, a staff member at the shelter was a Habitat homeowner and suggested Sylvia look into the program, reminding Sylvia that she had taken the introductory workshop.  

Sylvia called Atlanta Habitat the next day to inquire about joining the program only to find out that she was $34 short of qualifying. At this point, Sylvia was disappointed but determined.  

For most of her life she had struggled with following through on many ideas and projects but this time she knew that she would need to work for what she wanted.  

She went into work the next day and told her boss that she was just shy of qualifying for Habitat’s program.  

“She started laughing and I’m looking at her like ‘What are you were laughing for,’ she said, ‘Sylvia, you ain’t got to go home. You stay here and get your money.’”

“Do whatever you have to do. If anybody asks you, ‘why are you still on the clock,’ you tell them, I said. You ain’t got to go home,” her boss finished.

For the next six months, Sylvia worked 10-to-12-hour shifts and saved up her money until she qualified.

Despite all of her plans being derailed, Sylvia remained positive and determined to get into her home.  

By the time Sylvia had moved into her Habitat house, she had been living at City of Refuge for three years.  

“What do I have to complain about?” Sylvia said when asked how she has remained positive throughout everything.  “I just look at the blessings in my life.  It’s no sense to complain and I’d rather be somebody who stays positive because dwelling on what’s not going on in your life just brings your spirit down. I try to stay positive as much as possible.”