Housing

Don’t forget to vote!

There is a lot at stake in this year’s election.

If we don’t invest in affordable housing programs now, only the most wealthy people will be able to afford to live here. Vote Yay for Prop A. Vote for an Austin more of our neighbors can afford.

To find out how and where to vote this year, visit the City of Austin’s website.

Affordable Housing Bonds Change Lives

Gloria Kerr is thankful. “There is nothing more important to me than providing a safe and stable home for my two sons,” she said. “I feel very blessed to be living at Foundation Communities.”

But Gloria didn’t always feel she had a safe and secure home. She remembers her childhood years as tumultuous. Her mother remarried after Gloria’s father left, but Gloria’s new step dad made their lives miserable. The only way her mom knew to escape was to move far away – leaving Gloria behind.

Gloria moved in with her grandmother who was already raising two of her cousins. She knows her grandmother tried her best, but Gloria missed her mother and struggled with feelings of abandonment. She felt she didn’t belong anywhere and became convinced that her life would only be one disappointment after another.

Then, Gloria met the man that would become her children’s father. He seemed strong and reliable, and gave her hope that they could make a life together. Together they had two sons and despite some hiccups, she was happy.

But life took a turn when she still had small babies to care for. Gloria discovered that her partner was out on the streets selling drugs. She was devastated that he would put their family in that kind of danger.

She immediately moved back in with her mother who had returned to town, but that house proved to be unsafe, too. It leaked carbon monoxide and once caught fire due to bad wiring. Gloria felt stuck and couldn’t see a way out of the tunnel she was in.

Then she discovered Foundation Communities and Cardinal Point Apartments. When Gloria first saw the community she thought, “Here we go again. Another dead end. I will never be able to afford to live in a place this beautiful.”

What she didn’t know was that Cardinal Point was built using money from the Affordable Housing Bond that Austin voters passed to help families just like Gloria’s.

She soon found out that the rent was well within her budget – AND that it came with amazing services to help her get her life back on track.

Now, Gloria meets weekly with her case manager to work on her goals, and sees a financial coach to budget and save. She has a parent advocate to help her be the best mom she can be, and she gets help with groceries from the on-site food pantry. With all the support and stability, Gloria has been able find a great job working nearby.

Best of all, she feels like she’s part of a community where she belongs. “My neighbors can relate to my life and understand where I’ve been. We are always there for each other,” she said. “But nothing compares to the peaceful feeling that my boys and I are finally safe. We are going to be ok. And for that I am extremely grateful.”

To find out how and where to vote this year, visit the City of Austin’s website.