Meet Nora

Overview

Nora (single mom) needed secure, long-term housing for her family after her father’s death.

Challenge

Nora, a single mom, lived in the Grant Beach neighborhood near her mom, JoAnne, and her sister. Grant Beach was their support system: their friends lived there, they were active in the community, and Nora’s child was involved in the team sports programs offered by the neighborhood. 
Sadly, in 2016, Nora’s father passed away, which led to a bankruptcy and the loss of the family home. So, they had to move out of the neighborhood, and they lost their support system.

Solution

In 2016, Nora came to the Springfield Community Land Trust to see if she could qualify to purchase a home for her family. Nora was in her mid-thirties and had worked for the Springfield Workshop for 14 years. But Nora had zero credit. But she had an excellent track record of paying her bills on time. 

Would Nora, JoAnne, and her family qualify for a home through the SCLT? 

LeeAnn, director of the SCLT, met with Nora and walked her through the application process. Nora was qualified for a home loan through one of the approved lenders — even with zero credit history. 

LeeAnn had a large house with 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms ready for a new family. She knew it would be perfect for the family. But Nora asked one question LeeAnn had never been asked before, and hasn’t been asked since: Is the home near a bus stop? 

None of Nora’s family drove and are completely dependent upon public transportation.

Outcome

Luckily, the 5-bedroom house wasn’t far from a bus stop, and the family was able to close on the house in 2016, where they are still happily living today.