This article was written by Chelsea Triplett, 

iACT AmeriCorps Member. 

I was recently given the opportunity to help the iACT Hands on Housing Program. As an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, I spend most of my time in the refugee department; however, I am always excited when I get a chance to work with the other iACT programs, such as Hands on Housing. The morning started off with fresh french-pressed coffee, courtesy of Mr. Smalley, the homeowner. He and his wife, Karen, roast their own coffee beans (in a popcorn popping machine!), which was a real treat. The Smalleys are true Austinites who have been living in the heart of this city for 25 years now, since they first bought their home. In Ms. Smalley’s words “Back then, home ownership was affordable and made sense. Now is a different story. My kids don’t have the same options here that we did.”

The Smalleys applied for home repair services with Hands on Housing because their roof was collapsing and they could not afford to replace it. SWAMPY would be the best way to describe the state of their roof at the time of the initial assessment by a Hands on Housing team member. Like so many homeowners have learned (the hard way), insurance companies always seem to insert a clause in the fine print that excludes them from responsibility for such damages as the Smalley’s roof. Because insurance wouldn’t help, and they could not afford the repair themselves, this meant that every time it rained, the Smalleys would panic and cover all of their personal belongings through-out the home with tarps, and plastic bags. They would put out as many buckets as they could get their hands on to catch the unwanted rain; then, spend hours cleaning up the mess once the storm has subsided- drying out their bedding, and their couch cushions, etc.  They would lose sleep over the stress of rain in the forecast and chew-off every finger nail, overcome with anxiety and dread. Luckily, Hands on Housing was able to replace the entire roof, through the Go Repair Program they administer. The Go Repair Program exists to provide relief to low-income homeowners in Austin that cannot afford the repairs their home so desperately needs.

We arrived that morning to remove items from the garage so the attic could be properly insulated. This was achieved via an assembly line, passing items from inside to outside. After a few hours of moving furniture and other personal belongings, there was a clear path for the contractors to access the attic, and our job for the day was done. Even though I knew the roof had been replaced before I arrived, the significance of this didn’t hit me until I overheard Karen telling the Hands on Housing Program Director, “This is really a life changer. I don’t have to be afraid of the rain anymore.” Those words really stuck with me. When I agreed to help that morning, I hadn’t thought much about what I was doing, why I was doing it, or who it impacted. I just knew that iACT needed volunteers. Karen’s comment was a good reminder of why the work Hands on Housing does is so important, and the invaluable effect it has on the day-to-day lives of people in need of a helping hand.