Housing Voucher Program Changes Lives Of Mother & Son
Housing Voucher Program Changes Lives Of Mother & Son
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Housing Voucher Program Changes Lives Of Mother & SonMoving into a place of their own two years ago from the homeless shelter has made a world of difference for Gabreal Emery and her son Roman.
On Wednesday, North Central Indiana Housing Executive Director Pamela Kennedy, along with Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and others, surprised Emery with a Good Housekeeping Awards grand prize at her Little Crow Lofts apartment. It brought Emery to tears.
Every year, Warsaw Housing Authority (WHA) inspector Tom Bulger awards Good Housekeeping Awards to families if they keep their rental clean and inform the landlord of repairs needed in a timely manner. These families are participants in the Housing Choice Voucher program. This program is based on income and the number of persons in a family, according to a news release provided by Kennedy. The family pays 30% of their income for rent and utilities and the Housing Choice voucher pays the remainder. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets what is called Fair Market Rates for each zip code, limiting the maximum rent that can be charged.
WHA initiated the Good Housekeeping Awards program to encourage families to treat the rental as if it was their own home. Every year, the number of families increases that are awarded, the release states. Everyone’s name goes in a jar and in December each year, WHA draws the winners. There are two grand prize winners – one for participants renting in Warsaw and one for participants in Goshen.
This year, out of 208 families in Warsaw, 140 families received an award. In Goshen, there were 149 families out of 179 that received an award. The grand prize winners this year are Emery, of Warsaw, and Phyllis Eskins, of Goshen. They both received flowers, balloons and a $100 gift card.
Emery is a first for the grand prize award.
“We’ve never had a winner with children,” Kennedy said. “It’s always been a single person. We’ve also never had the same landlord twice.”
A gift of a Lego set also was provided to Roman as part of the grand prize this year.
Talking about how getting a place of their own through the Housing Choice Voucher Program has changed her and Roman’s life, Emery said, “I’m a single mom. I’ve been a single mom since the day he was born. I was at Fellowship Missions before this, and I think the day I got my letter, I cried so much because it helps you have independence. It helps you be able to provide for him when I can’t on my own.”
She said the Little Crow apartments are “gorgeous” and “beautiful” and “it gives you freedom and it lets me give him what he needs, because emotionally he needs structure. He needs stability.”
In his room, Roman, who will be 8 in January, has a quiet place that has all of his sensory toys in it, as well as a bean bag and blanket.
“And without having a place to put that where it can stay there, he wouldn’t be where he is,” Emery said.
They were at Fellowship Missions for nine months, moving into Little Crow about two years ago.
“He’s doing better in the last 1-1/2 to 2 years than he’s done in his entire life,” Emery said. “Because it’s just us. I can give him what he needs because I have help. Because I have support. These apartments are fantastic and if I need help, if there’s something like a light bulb out or the dishwasher has gone out, I (call maintenance technician) Shane (Nickolson).”
On receiving the Good Housekeeping grand prize, Emery said it means she gets a Christmas present this year because she can finish her Christmas tree and have more stuff to make cookies for people.
“We want you to treat yourself,” Kennedy told her.
“It is a treat. Having this is a treat. Having this is all the present I need,” Emery said, referring to her apartment. “Seeing him go from, he can’t read, he can’t write, he doesn’t know his letters, he doesn’t know his numbers to being at Washington now and having the team he has and me being able to focus on that, because I don’t have to worry about (having a home), he’s doing A’s and B’s work. And he’s writing full sentences. He can add and subtract. But he spells all the time. He does all kinds of stuff. But it’s because he has somewhere safe and calm and relaxing.”
WHA inspector Tom Bulger told her that when he comes to her home to do inspections, she’s always prompt and it’s always clean. He said it was a pleasure working with her and she’s obviously grateful for the program.
“Pam mentioned, too, that this is the first award that has a child involved. So, we know how hard it is when you have kids and it’s hard to keep picked up after them, and they make messes, like kids do,” Bulger said.
Speaking on the Little Crow Lofts, which are one- to two-bedroom income-based apartments, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said, “The city committed to this project many years ago, and a lot of collaborators in the community, to try to make this project happen. I was buoyed by the fact that, going around, it was just different, it seemed like it wasn’t just a cookie cutter (apartment building). There are nice units and all are different. It’s gratifying to hear what it means to you, to see that. More importantly, you’ve got an opportunity to give him everything he needs and that’s great.”
Emery said she also doesn’t have to ask for help from her parents or others.
This year, WHA decided to award runners-up who received $25 gift certificates. The winners were Teresa Shepherd, Warsaw, and Tamango Anderson, Goshen.
If you have rentals and want to learn more about this program, or want to know the Fair Market Rates, call Kennedy at 574-269-7641, ext. 1030.
