Earlier this summer, a group of HDC residents participated in Home Matters Day, a day of education and advocacy hosted by Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, to speak directly to elected officials at the state capitol on issues around affordable housing that directly impact their lives. At HDC, we believe in connecting residents to advocacy opportunities where they can use their voice and speak on issues that are important to them.
One participating resident was Sandie Geib, a resident at Southgate Apartments in Leesport, PA who decided to get involved in advocacy, “because I am a fighter,” she shared. “I believe that when you change one person’s life, they can change another person’s life, and it just snowballs from there.”
Hear from Sandie at Home Matters Day.
Read more about Sandie’s story in her own words below.
“I have lived in this building for more than three years. I had been living in Tennessee for a while, and I spent time with each of my three daughters until I could find a place that felt presentable. With my income, I had to be careful with what I was spending.
When I was looking for an apartment, the prices were ridiculous. I looked at an apartment in a complex I used to live in, and it was very filthy and run down.
Here at Southgate, the rooms are big and bright. It’s a nice place to live and it’s very affordable.
When I was living in Schuylkill County, it was an impoverished and run down area. There was nothing bright about living there at all. When I look back at my old poetry from that time, it’s very dark and heavy.
When you live in an area that’s covered in darkness, when it’s hanging over an area like that, it tends to make you give up hope. You can feel lost, like there’s nothing you can do about it. It was a coal town that was very apathetic. I made it a point to change things for myself.
I fought to get the Reading Symphony Orchestra to come up north of the mountain in Schuylkill County. That’s where the poverty was. South of the mountain people had big houses and could go out to eat all the time. That’s where the money was. No one ever made an effort come north of the mountain. I fought for three years for that and it was so successful. It made the population happier. People need to be awakened. When you’re in poverty, you’re a sheep.
I believe that when you change one person’s life, they can change another person’s life, and it just snowballs from there.
When I was living in Schuylkill County, I raised my three daughters by myself. My ex-husband had addiction issues. I was raising them alone. I don’t have young children anymore, but I wish I would have had affordable housing back then. Their lives would have been better. They could never have what their friends had. They weren’t able to be the people they could have been if we would have had more income, or if our housing had been more affordable.
Even now, my money goes a lot further and it affords me more opportunities not to struggle.”
Every voice matters. At HDC, we are committed to raising up resident voices and opening doors so that residents can actively participate in the democratic process, speak out on issues important to them and their communities, and communicate how policies affect their everyday lives. We believe it is important to make the time and space to listen, and to support resident leaders in effectively using their voices. We support resident advocacy opportunities through our Resident Academy of Leadership & Inspiration, Voter Registration Drives, and holding constituent meetings and tours with elected officials.
Allentown, PA
Fredericksburg, PA
Lancaster, PA
Finding a place to live that meets one’s basic needs and budget can feel like a never-ending challenge. The complexity of lower-income families and individuals extend far beyond simply finding a safe, affordable, and welcoming place to call home. At HDC, we are committed to being an ally in speaking to issues, programs, and policies that improve quality of life of our residents. Issues that we know are important to our residents include:
We know we can’t solve the affordable housing challenge alone. We need champions to help change the conversation around what home means and why it matters. We are committed to educating elected officials to understand the needs and challenges of their constituents. We are here to provide solutions that work and offer affordable housing expertise that demonstrates the impact policy decisions have on lower-income families, seniors and those with disabilities. We work closely with and participate in alliances and coalitions to educate and advance shared policy priorities. Our advocacy partners include:
Wendy Smith serves as the Vice President of Property Management, responsible for the overall strategic direction for HDC’s management portfolio and the organization’s largest staff team. Previously, Wendy served as Asset and Operations Manager for a leading real estate firm based in New York City which owned over 11,000 affordable homes. Since 2008, Wendy has held roles in regional level operations for commercial and for-profit housing agencies. Wendy holds a degree in International Studies.
