NHT Resident Speaks on Affordable Housing at Capitol Hill

Kathy Myers is an Army veteran, a retired nurse, a mother and a grandmother. Several years ago, Kathy began facing health issues and could no longer work. In 2012, her husband passed away. Kathy was living on her own and trying to survive on her Social Security income. She quickly felt the financial burdens of her health care and faced the foreclosure of her home. Kathy was on the verge of being thrown out on the street when her granddaughter began considering affordable housing communities in the area. She spoke to the staff at Mountainview Apartments in Cumberland, MD, who moved quickly and was able to get Kathy into an apartment in December of 2016.

A few weeks ago, Kathy came to Washington, DC to speak in front of nearly 80 policymakers and their staffers. She shared her emotional story as part of a panel, sitting alongside Mayor Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, Doug Rice of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Pat Sheridan from Volunteers of America.

You might remember the residents of Mountainview from the Save HUD 202 Rally last summer when NHT staff escorted 30 senior residents from Mountainview to rally outside the Capitol. In case you missed it, check out the video here: https://youtu.be/X51pZ2hUrtg

Now more than ever, it’s important that residents of affordable housing stand and up and tell their stories, which is why NHT has launched its “Where Will We Live” campaign – to raise the voices of affordable housing residents.

Thank you to CHCDF for pulling together the briefing, and creating a platform on which Kathy could share her story.

For more information about NHT’s storytelling effort or “Where Will We Live” campaign, contact Communications and Fundraising Coordinator Halley Henry.