Dora*, a Health Homes client since 2016, has active mental health issues and does not leave her basement apartment much. Dora’s apartment in Westchester County had not been renovated since she moved there in 2018, and she had problems with vermin and structural safety concerns. The kitchen floor tiles were loose, a large metal ladder in her living room was not bolted in and was unstable, and her food pantry had no door. This exacerbated the vermin problem. She also had no bars on her windows and lives in a tough neighborhood. Her oven had not worked correctly in months, forcing her to use a microwave for all meals. The landlord had not been responding to her many attempts to have these issues fixed.

After advocating for the client and assisting her with various paperwork, our Care Assistant, Chiffon, got the Urban League (a division of the Department of Social Services) to perform inspections. (Urban League now checks on Dora once a month, too.) The landlord was forced to replace her entire apartment’s floor with beautiful wood grain boards, address the safety concerns, replace her stove, and arrange for an exterminator service. Chiffon also arranged for Dora to receive a food delivery service and SNAP (formerly known as food stamps). Dora has expressed great satisfaction with Health Home services. Great job, Chiffon!

*Not her real name. Stock photo used for illustrative purposes.