From Foreclosure to Affordable Housing: One Woman's Story
5/16/2008 12:58 PMTonya Hollen, who lost her home to foreclosure before becoming a resident at Ripley Gardens, shared her story at Aeon's Beyond Bricks & Mortar fundraising breakfast.
My name is Tonya Hollen. I’m a single mom with a talented teenage daughter, Mary Kate. I live with Multiple Sclerosis.
Before we moved into Ripley Gardens, we lost our home to the mortgage crisis. We were homeless.
The generosity of my cousin kept us out of shelters and off the street. Before we moved in with her, we had a lovely, one-bedroom condo. I thought we were secure.
Because of my MS, I could only work a few hours a week. I needed a car for my scooter, so I re-mortgaged the house to buy the car. The promise of additional work and the assurance of the mortgage company made me feel confident that this was the best thing to do.
But it didn’t work out and soon I was paying 90% of my income toward my mortgage. I missed my mortgage payments and my home went into automatic foreclosure.
I felt ashamed, like I screwed up, like I should have known better. I didn’t have any choice but to pack our things. I sent 35 boxes to Goodwill and moved into my cousin’s basement with just our beds and a TV.
I felt like a loser and wondered how I could have ever let this happen. When Mary Kate was at school,
I stayed home and cried.
A Fresh Start
I was approved for a housing subsidy through Section 8. We visited several properties, and encountered everything from dirt and stench to bullet holes.
But then I learned about Ripley Gardens. When Mary Kate and I visited, we said, “Yes!” Ripley Gardens is beautiful, clean and neat. It looks like people take pride in the place.
I immediately loved the staff. The site manager, is friendly and helpful. I admitted I was in foreclosure and expected to be turned away, but staff told me over and over, “Don’t be afraid. This is what Ripley Gardens was built for: for people who need affordable housing.”
Home to us means comfort, safety, a haven, my own little nest. Aeon provided me and my daughter with a home – and a lot more. I want to thank all of you who support Aeon for restoring my dignity. Thank you for believing in me and for helping us get to a stable place where we can dream about our future.
Thank you not just for our home, but for giving us hope.
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