3 minute read
Addressing Affordable Housing Needs
Joyce Santiago | Executive Director, Affordable Housing Advocates
BY DAVID GONZALEZ | DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC INITIATIVES
Affordable housing is personal for Joyce Santiago, Executive Director of Affordable Housing Advocates (AHA). Having experienced uncertainty about where she would lay her own head in early adulthood while balancing three part-time jobs and being a mother of two, primed her for an eventual career in providing housing for others.
- Joyce Santiago | Executive Director, Affordable Housing Advocates
While not an experience Joyce would wish for anyone, she believes her personal story is what fuels her energy and understanding of client situations. “Struggling to pay rent, finding temporary places to sleep, and working yourself to exhaustion is something I know all too well and what many of our clients experience,” she shares. Many individuals on the waiting list for AHA, have jobs, but just have difficulty coming up with a down payment as they are often living paycheck to paycheck.
Early in her career, Joyce found a mentor in Tom Foust, the previous Executive Director of AHA, who would continue to push her to serve the community and kept her engaged in the efforts of the organization over several years. Her career kept intersecting with AHA, having held several positions with the organization. Joyce credits Tom and his persistence for leading her to the role she has today and her level of community involvement.
Delphia House Apartments, one of the affordable housing options offered by Affordable Housing Advocates.
York County’s housing stock isn’t meeting demand and that figure is more startling when it comes to affordable living options. Joyce firmly believes everyone is entitled to a place to live and works to combat negative narratives on affordable housing. AHA’s work is county-wide and has a mission of stabilizing neighborhoods and collaborating with partners to achieve success in the affordable housing realm. Increasing the number of available and affordable housing options for working families is a key action step in the York County Economic Action Plan. “Stability in housing ensures individuals have one less thing to be worried about, lessens crime, improves economic opportunity, and impacts the lives of children who can focus on school instead of where they will sleep tonight.”
A Groundbreaking Ceremony held on August 24 to celebrate Affordable Housing Advocates’ new homeownership opportunity located in Wellsville.
A recent win for AHA came when the organization worked to purchase townhomes that were up for sale that would have displaced residents, had it not been for quick maneuvering by AHA. Rent was expected to increase and AHA was able to stabilize the housing situation for the different families by bringing the homes under their umbrella.
3 Rathton Road, York, PA 17403 | ahadvocates.org | 717.846.5139
