Meet Trinity
Memphis Habitat builds opportunities for ALL.
Housing affordability is one of the most persistent equity issues in Memphis. 85,393 Memphian households are paying 30% or more of their monthly income toward housing costs. We know that the financial inequality for LGBTQ+ individuals is even more significant…
Last fiscal year, Memphis Habitat opened the doors to affordable homeownership for 20 families. Trinity is one of those homebuyers. We asked Trinity a few questions about how Memphis Habitat has impacted their overall well-being—here’s what they said.
What were some of your experiences as a renter in previous homes?
The rental home that we just moved out of was the place I have lived the longest in my entire life. Ollie was around 2.5 (now 10) and Norah (now 8) was a baby. It was the only home my children knew. When we moved in there in 2017, the rent was $875 but was slowly being raised over time.
I had fungus growing in my bathroom. I had huge limbs falling in the backyard, destroying property and going through the roof. That caused leaks inside the home, which led to mold and damage. I developed a mold allergy while living there. I never allowed my kids to play out front because of shootings and home invasions that happened near our street. We had some great neighbors, but we never walked the neighborhood because we feared being accosted by people, stray dogs, or people drag racing.
What was it like looking for a better rental before you applied to Memphis Habitat?
One thing that really stood out was that rental companies were asking tenants to make FOUR times the rent. Most of the homes were $1,500 to $2,000 (per month)—even in my neighborhood where the average rent had been $800 to $950. Some had been “remodeled” but looked trashed.
A decent, simple rental with community amenities could be financially impossible for almost any family, but especially for a single-income family. It seemed like lower-income people were being pushed out of the neighborhoods. So, we stuck it out as long as we could where we were.
Now that you’re in your Habitat home, how are you curating your happiness?
My main interests are plants and geeky fandoms. One of the things I am excited about is finally being able to put up all my memorabilia! I have had several amazing pieces framed and stored for YEARS that I can put up now.
As a child, we always had housing insecurity. I want my children to have a stable home where they share my geeky interests, love playing video games, and adore ALL the dogs. Norah has room to practice ballet (she recently performed in the Nut Remix). Both kids have quiet places to read because they are avid readers. Our rescue dogs, Sampson, Tilly, and Twinkie, have safe places to play and enrich the home. One of the first things the kids said when they saw the Habitat house was “Mama, we can walk here, it looks safe!”
