Case Study

Sara de Osaba

But it wasn't so easy to find something in her price range. Place after place was "so run down: cracked windows, gaps between the floors and the walls … it was depressing, and I knew the heating bills would be out of sight," she recalls.

She was starting to feel desperate about finding a place decent enough to raise her child in, when she remembered that CHT – where she had looked into buying a home – also has rentals. She applied in August and quickly found an apartment in the Waterfront building, a new, energy-efficient structure with some of the lowest utility costs in town.

Living in the city is key for Sara both personally and professionally. As a parent she wants her daughter to experience the diversity of Burlington and she is pleased that their neighbors in the building include a family from Bhutan. Working for the school system, Sara's job includes connecting families in need to local resources.

"It's great to know that this landlord won't let the apartments get dilapidated, that providing affordable housing is its mission."

"It's important for me to be part of this community 24/7, so I can keep up with what's happening in the lives of the families," Sara explains.

Now when a family needs housing, Sara refers them to CHT. "I've gone with families to check out other apartments, and they look just as bad as when I was searching. It's important for people to know that CHT is there and it's a safe bet."