“Beating the Clock”
Louisville’s housing crisis is usually described in numbers: there is currently a shortage of over 18,000 houses and 20,000 apartments. But there are people behind those numbers, and Journey was one such person. A single mother of two kids, Journey couldn’t seem to find housing that was both affordable and stable enough for her family of three. Then the unthinkable happened.
After a family crisis, Journey was suddenly granted full custody of her sister’s two children. Her family’s expansion came with a caveat: if she couldn’t find stable housing within ten days, her sister’s children would be placed in foster care. The clock was ticking. Although available housing was scarce, Journey was determined to keep her family together. She finally found a place with enough space and a landlord who was willing to rent to her.
Then Journey met the second barrier: the security deposit. A friend told her about the Louisville Urban League deposit assistance program, funded by the Louisville Metro Government. The clock continued to tick. Nearly worn out from clearing the first hurdle, Journey mustered up a second wind. The worst they could say was no, and she’d heard that many times before.
Determination met opportunity when Lamonique Gholson, an empowerment navigator, turned the corner to meet her client for the first time. Journey laid everything on the table: the situation, the search, the deposit, and the ticking clock.
Lamonique recruited the team of health navigators to help expedite the deposit process for Journey. Propelled by the danger of time running out, they worked tirelessly with Journey’s landlord to come to a compromise that satisfied both parties. Although the process for securing and making funds available can sometimes take weeks, the landlord agreed to move Journey and her family in on a promise. With the help of the Urban League, Journey finally beat the clock.
Today, the family is safely settled in secure housing, thanks to the support and quick response from the team.
