We almost always feature current residents in Nevada HAND stories, but this time we are thrilled to feature a person who is now a former resident, for a wonderful reason! 

Finding “More Than A Home”

Sasha D. first learned about Nevada HAND through a friend and moved into Decatur Commons Family Apartments in 2022. She was the first person to live in her apartment in this new development. “Everything was new! My neighbors were very friendly. Marcos [Assistant Property Manager] helped me with the process, and Aja, the Resident Services Coordinator, . . . was very helpful with other things, like [connections to additional support for] utilities, childcare, helping me with other aspects of life. The maintenance team was great. Anything that needed to be fixed, they 110% fixed, . . . and they were there when I needed them.” 

A Stable Foundation for a Big Goal

Once she was feeling stable with affordable rent, Sasha soon set her sights on a big goal: to become a homeowner, through the NACA first-time homebuyers program. To save the needed earnest money and demonstrate that she would be able to consistently afford on-time mortgage payments, Sasha said, “I was working 50 – 58 hours a week [as a CDL driver for Amazon].”  

Soon, it was time to look for houses. Sasha shared, “It was cool! Everything was going fast. . . . I almost wanted to get everything I found. But my realtor helped a lot. They’re not going to let you buy something uninhabitable, and they ensure that the property fits NACA requirements.” 

Keys to Her Family’s Future

Sasha said it was “love at first sight with this house.” It has a backyard for her dog, and, even better, it was recently remodeled! She moved in on August 15th, 2024, a day she remembers well, “It was wonderful getting the keys. Something my own, it felt really good.” In addition to no longer worrying about how her rent might change from year to year, Sasha is proud to be in a position to provide support for her family members if they ever need a temporary place to stay between rentals. As for Sasha’s daughter? “She loves it. She has her own room!”

Big Things Happen Step by Step

For others with owning a first home on their wish list, Sasha offered this advice: “Get a plan in place, and save as much as you can. Stick with it. Write down your goals and complete each one, little by little. At the end, it’s going to be worth it.” 

Giving Back to Her Community Through Service Leadership

In the midst of working overtime, saving, planning, and shopping for her house, Sasha made time to be a highly engaged member of Nevada HAND’s 2024 HAND Collaborative Emerging Leaders Committee. “I know Nevada HAND helps the community, and I wanted to be a part of it. When my neighbors need help here and there, I help them, but I wanted . . . to see what’s out there and meet new people. . . . I’m grateful for knowing them [fellow HAND Collaborative members], learning about them. [The experience was] opening up my eyes to other things for the future. I loved it.” 

#affordablehousing #firsttimehomebuyer #morethanahome #serviceleadership