One of RCD’s new residents shared her story with us and graciously allowed me to pass it along to you. Her story demonstrates how RCD’s impact goes beyond building homes, and why your support is critical. I hope you will A link to: A link to:consider making a generous donation today to support RCD’s residents, community-serving programs, and efforts to build more affordable housing.
For Cat, moving into Madrone Terrace in Ashland allowed her to find stability after years of uncertainty. Diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks before her move-in date, Cat faced a whirlwind of surgeries and recovery while trying to settle into her new home.
“I was diagnosed in April, and my first surgery was two weeks after I was supposed to move at the end of May,” Cat shares.
“It’s been a lot, trying to settle in while not really being settled with my health. But I finally had my last surgery, and now I feel like I can just relax into my space.”
After living in Oakland for two decades, Cat’s housing journey took a difficult turn when she became disabled, needing to rely on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and lost the financial support of a partner. “SSDI doesn’t provide a livable income,” she explains. “I was lucky to find a roommate who offered me a room on a sliding scale. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had housing at all.”
Even among affordable housing options, finding a wheelchair-accessible unit was a major challenge. “When I found out this place had accessible apartments, I was beyond excited. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to see my bathroom with grab bars and seating. Of all the things to be excited about, that was it for me!,” Cat says.
Now, Cat is building a future that supports her health, her work, and her independence. She works from home part-time as a psychotherapist, and she deeply appreciates the free internet provided at Madrone Terrace. “All my sessions are online, so having that resource without having to pay an arm and a leg — that’s been a game changer.”
Cat and her service dog, Raya, are enjoying their new routines. Her medical coverage includes a gym membership and there is a great fitness center nearby that she can easily get to in her wheelchair. “Raya gets her workout getting there and back, and then I get mine while I’m there.”
The upcoming Ashland Grove Park next door is another bright spot on the horizon. “It’ll be a great place for Raya to run and for me to enjoy the outdoors,” Cat says. “We can’t wait for it to be finished.”
Now settled at Madrone Terrace with the stability to focus on healing, Cat reflects on what having her own space means.
“I can’t imagine trying to go through all of this — the treatments, the surgeries — in my previous living situation. Being able to do it in my own space has been such a relief. I honestly don’t know how I would have done it otherwise.”
Cat’s story is one of resilience and hope, and it also reminds us of the great need for more affordable homes in our communities. That’s why RCD currently has 170 apartments under construction in Oakland and Walnut Creek, and we are diligently working to move seven more developments forward – creating homes for 1,600 more people who need them.
Your support makes stories like Cat’s possible. When you A link to: A link to:give to RCD, you’re giving people the key to a new chapter of their lives, one full of hope and possibility.
A link to: A link to:Donate online and together, we can ensure that more individuals and families find the stability and hope that comes with an affordable home. A link to: A link to:
Sincerely,
Dan Sawislak
Executive Director
P.S. With your donation, you are impacting the lives of seniors, children, people with disabilities, individuals experiencing housing insecurity, and hardworking families struggling to make ends meet!
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