Resident story: Mark

MARK

RESIDENT STORY

“I SET MY PLACE UP WITH MY OWN BELONGINGS AND IT JUST FELT HOME.”

One of the many tenants who benefited from their time at the Arncliffe Community Hub is Mark, who came to the property from temporary accommodation for men experiencing homelessness.

For 30 years, Mark worked as a successful sales manager however when he lost his job, he could no longer afford the cost of his private rental.

In the three years prior to 2021, Mark had moved a total of nine times. One of these moves was to temporary homeless accommodation, which he said he was “so grateful for” as he didn’t even have a car to live in at that point.

He was able to stay in that accommodation for a year, then he got referred to the Arncliffe Community Hub and became a tenant of Evolve Housing for 13 months.

During his time at Arncliffe, Mark said that he appreciated the strong support that was provided. “There was always assistance, they were only a phone call away,” Mark said of Arncliffe’s two on-site Evolve Housing staff Paea and Carrie Ann.

“It’s just the little things, a loaf of bread on a Tuesday, them always checking in on my welfare—asking, am I happy, do I feel safe, questions like that from time to time. That just made me feel happy, that someone cared.” He also gained a new companion while living at Arncliffe —a beautiful, intelligent Kelpie named Sam. Mark became the owner of Sam in tragic circumstances, after the dog’s original owner (also a tenant of Arncliffe) passed away.

As Mark was sitting outside when the Police came to investigate, he was asked to mind the dog temporarily, however he decided to adopt Sam permanently.

Mark and Sam have now been transitioned into a longerterm social housing property managed by Evolve Housing.

“Initially it was daunting but after I settled in, I was just so thankful and grateful that the accommodation was made available. I was able to move my belongings out of storage, they’d been in storage for three years, so that saved me money. I set my place up with my own belongings and it just felt like home.” Mark said that his new apartment is bright, airy, clean and fresh looking.

“I set my place up with my own belongings and it just felt home,” Mark said of the experience.

“THERE WAS ALWAYS ASSISTANCE, THEY WERE ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY.”

Evolve Housing staff helping to supply food donations to tenants during COVID-19 lockdown.