Straight from chemotherapy, Charisse Mosley Gallishaw came to meet us and take in her the glory of her new home at 922 Winchester Avenue. As I talked with Charisse more and learned about her story, this scenario seemed apt for what she had to work through to get to where she is today. She explained that she started her homeownership journey with Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven’s HomeOwnership Center three years ago. Just two months into the program, she was diagnosed with cancer.
However, three years ago was not when she first began working towards achieving her homeownership dreams.
“I had always wanted to be a homeowner,” Charisse explained.
As a lifelong New Haven resident, her housing journey started when she was just 17. “I started out in emergency housing.” At 17, she gave birth to her daughter, and ever since then, she had dreamed of having a house for her children for a sense of stability. She got tired of moving around and wanted a place to call her own.
Charisse tried two other housing programs before finding success. This time was different with the HomeOwnership Center.
She found her fit with Managing Director of the HomeOwnership Center, Bridgette Russell. When asked what made this experience successful compared to the others, Charisse answered simply, “The people.”
She appreciated the thoroughness and communication from staff throughout the process. Herb Jackson of HOC Realty was also instrumental in her success, especially through his expertise during our “How to Be a Landlord” class. She’s looking forward to being a landlord and, most importantly, feels prepared.
“The class was very informational,” she said, adding that it gave her a different outlook on being a landlord.
Charisse compared becoming a landlord to becoming a parent. You start out doing both things for the first time and because of this, it’s new and you’ll make mistakes, but in the long run, you’ll get it right.
“I had my doubts,” Charisse explained, based on her past experiences of not being properly supported through other programs. The doubts subsided with the support she received from Bridgette and Herb as they helped put her into the position she is in today – a soon-to-be first-time homeowner! Charisse described the feeling, “like a dream, and I haven’t woken up yet.”
With three adult children, five grandchildren, and a cancer diagnosis that she continues to face with strength, Charisse puts her faith in God and feels secure knowing that she now has something to leave behind for her family. “I never got the house to raise my kids, but I got the house to raise my grandkids.”
