Debra was a banker for 23 years until the 2008 market crash. From there, she decided to go to nursing school. As a nurse, Debra began experiencing pain in her back and leg that the doctors believed would be fixed through back surgery. When Deb awoke from surgery, the pain in her leg was still there. A few months later, her leg broke and she discovered the pain was a symptom of cancer.
Due to her financial and health conditions, she moved out of the trailer she had been residing in for a senior apartment. Shortly thereafter, her rent increased to more than $1,000 per month. Her pastor learned of her situation and signed her up for newly constructed affordable housing on Canal Street. “Without this help, all of us [neighbors] would be out of a home and living in our cars or a shelter,” said Debra.
Built in 2023, the Canal Affordable Housing has two triplexes and one duplex that contain five one-bedroom and three two-bedroom units. Community Homes of Lebanon County was awarded a $750,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant through the support of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh’s member, Jonestown Bank & Trust Co.
Deb sees her story as an opportunity to give voice to people in similar situations. “We are eight families here and it would be nice to build [homes] like this all over the place.” She believes that good always comes out of hard things and that being positive is the only way to move forward.
“When you are in this situation, you wake up and say, ‘am I going to have a good day or am I going to sleep through this and stay in bed?’ When you have people like this, it makes you want to get up and say I am going to have a good day.”
Deb looks forward to hosting Bible study in her home with women from her church and neighbors. She is also excited for the wheelchair accessible grass path, and upcoming picnic tables and gazebo for her neighbors to get together more.
Transitional Housing Constructed for Homelessness Relief Services in Columbia County
April 19, 2023
