FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO HOMEOWNERSHIP: A RESIDENT INTERVIEW

Vivian Sparrow’s journey with Greccio Housing spanned 3 years, during which she called the Atrium Property home. The Atrium at Austin Bluffs, a vibrant 54-unit community, offers 2-bedroom and 1-bedroom apartments specifically designed for seniors aged 62 and older. Recently, Vivian took a big step forward, leaving Greccio Housing to fulfill her dream of homeownership, moving to Pueblo, Colorado, where she enjoys life with her loyal dog, Joey. Delve into an inspiring interview with Vivian and Joey, exploring their exciting new chapter and the journey that led them there.

Greccio Housing (GH): How did you first learn about Greccio Housing, what was the application process like, and how did it differ from other senior housing options?

Vivian Sparrow: I lived at another senior apartment, and I was looking for something different. I went to the Veterans Affairs office (VA) and asked, “Where can I go, where can I find an [apartment] I can afford?” They sent me to Greccio. From the time I signed the waiting list it was about 3-4 months before I moved in... When I walked into my apartment I was so shocked, it was so beautiful. I was one of the first move-ins [at the Atrium], so I got to see it with hardly anybody in there. It was cool, I felt really privileged. All the senior housing I had seen [before] was scary, in bad neighborhoods or it had been so neglected that people were kinda sorta in danger [in their own apartments]. I was so surprised [when I saw Greccio’s senior housing] I thought it was wonderful.

GH: When you became a resident of Greccio Housing how did your quality of life change?

Vivian: Greccio Housing helped me a lot and they did a lot of things that I didn’t expect. Greccio has made me appreciate what other people can do for people. But you have to ask [for help], they can’t expect things to show up at their door.

GH: Was homeownership always a goal for you, and have you owned a home before?

Vivian: I owned a townhouse and liked it, but it was kind of like an apartment, so I decided I’m not going to own and just went and found a couple of senior housing options, and moved into those [which brought Vivian to Greccio]. Well, I was sitting with neighbors at the Atrium, whom I love, and we were having this conversation, and I said, “Ya know, it would be really nice to leave something behind. So I could say that I actually bought a house and I’m going to let someone else live in there when I pass.” [To which they replied], “Vivian, no, no, rent, rent!” and I said, “No, I really want to leave something behind.” It took a lot of work, but I did it.

GH: Can you describe the initial steps you took toward homeownership and how long the journey was to achieve your goal?

Vivian: The first thing I started to do was look at mobile homes and mobile home parks... And I realized we’re talking close to $2000 just to move into a mobile home and [even if its a] horrible mobile home, it’s still a lot of money because lot rents are expensive. So I moved to looking at houses with my realtor.

Please please who ever buys a house do an inspection! One the first houses that I put an offer on I did an inspection and it came back that the house was inundated with meth, so of course that was off. I did two more offers and I lost out. One offer my realtor said, “I will put on here that we will go $2000 over any offer.” And we did that and I still lost the house and thats when I said okay lets go to Pueblo, Colorado. We looked at houses and when we came down [my current street] my realtor said, “wow this is a nice neighborhood.” We drove up to this house and I thought, “THATS MY HOUSE.” I didn’t really care about the weeds because I could take care of that. The entire journey to ownership was about 6 months, because of the housing market in Colorado Springs I couldn’t qualify for the houses in the area.

GH: Now that you’re a homeowner living in Pueblo, what motivates you to remain involved with Greccio Housing?

Vivian: Most of it is because I love my neighbors... And the ladies in my group oh my goodness. We were all family and we did a lot of things together, and sat in the community room talked a lot. I just can’t give them up!

GH: What message would you like to share with current Greccio Housing residents who feel that homeownership might be out of reach?

Vivian: It is possible. You have to find the right help, and there are a lot of programs out there. I ended up with two down payment assistance programs, and that was because my loan officer found them for me and four months later I bought this house. It just worked out. I want people to understand that theres help, you don’t have to sit there and say, “Nobody’s going to give me a house.” No they’re not, you have to save some money and it doesn’t have to be a huge amount! There’s a lot of down payment assistance. You can do it! I did not have what they were asking for, for the down payment... And they just kicked in the rest. YOU GOTTA ASK. You can’t just sit there and go, “Well why isn’t anyone helping me.” You gotta ask. You cannot just take it for granted that somebody is just going to offer you what you want.