Frances C. lives in a truly special home in White Plains, NY. A home her grandmother purchased in 1935, a home she has lived in since childhood—a home she will one day leave to her nieces and nephew, and their children. Over time, a key part of the house sank into disrepair: the staircase that provided Frances and her family’s principal access to the house.
Eventually, the inconvenience turned hazardous. “The staircase was in very bad condition. If you stepped on it, it would tip over. I have osteoarthritis developed from a broken ankle ten years ago. Most of the time I’m limping and in pain. Going step by step by step and concerned about it tipping over and not falling was quite frightening. One of my sister’s grandchildren almost hurt herself. We couldn’t use the stairway. Not to have those steps available like that was very, very difficult.”
The staircase needed crucial repair construction to restore safety to the house. Repairs that Frances received when she connected with Habitat NYC and Westchester.
In fact, Frances was the first homeowner to benefit from our Aging in Place program in Westchester County. She describes how the construction repairs helped Frances and her family avoid potential injury or financial adversity that might have resulted from the dilapidated staircase. “They took care of everything. They decided to demolish the whole thing and redo the entire stairway, which was a lot of work. The steps were even stronger than they were before, they did a beautiful job. Habitat is just so awesome helping us seniors be comfortable in our space, it’s beyond words. Having these steps done has supported my knee issue, I appreciate those steps so much.”
This home has been a multi-generational hub and haven for Frances and her family for an astounding 90 years—housing the ebb and flow of childhoods into adulthoods, the passing of loved ones, as well as countless homecooked feasts around the dinner table. And now, Frances no longer worries about the viability of stewarding the home for future generations. “We’re so grateful that they left this legacy for us, and I would love to continue to keep this as the hub for the family.”
