Carla first came to Nantucket in 2003, when she worked as an au pair and traveled to the island with her host family on vacation. On the ferry ride, Carla met a man who lived here year-round. They began dating. When the summer was over and she went home, Carla knew she wanted to return. The following year, she decided she would move to Nantucket, find work, and pursue the relationship. The couple moved into Carla’s boyfriend’s housing until they found something on their own.

“This was a very different way of living for me,” said Carla. “There were 12 people in a 4 bedroom home with 2 bathrooms. We all shared one kitchen, and there was no privacy. It was hard for me to adjust, but we had no other choice.”

Carla found a job as a house cleaner. She and her boyfriend rented a different room in a shared house, then moved again to a basement space that provided more privacy. The basement “apartment” was one small room which contained their bed, a couch, and a hotplate where they did their cooking. There was a cellar window against the ceiling. Eventually, that house was sold and Carla and her boyfriend had to leave. Not having anywhere else to go, they moved to a shared employee housing situation.

“This time, I was the only woman in a house with 10 men,” Carla said. “Imagine all these men cooking, with no cleaning, sharing one refrigerator. It was a nightmare!”

“I had my first child at that house,” Carla said. “Trying to keep the baby’s things clean was such a challenge. The situation was very stressful. Domestic abuse, which had been present before, started escalating severely. I don’t mind sharing that, because I hope that hearing my story can empower other people to get the help they need.”

Carla knew she needed to get out of the abusive relationship. She went to local non-profit A Safe Place for help. Carla obtained a restraining order for herself and her child, but since she was in her partner’s employee housing, Carla was the one who needed to get out.

Carla quickly learned no temporary shelters exist on the island. A Safe Place helped with crisis intervention, but Carla would need to figure out where she and her baby would stay longer-term. Carla and her baby bounced between some friends’ homes. It was summertime, and it was impossible to find anyplace to rent on their own.

But professionally, doors were opening. The owner of the cleaning company where Carla worked offered her the opportunity to purchase the business, and she took it. She earned enough money to pay a reasonable rent, but still there were none available. Any leads she found were taken by the time she got there. Finally, she found a winter rental- a basement apartment in Madaket. Carla and her baby continued to couch surf until they could move in at the end of September.

That winter, when her cleaning business was slow, Carla became more involved with the community. She obtained certification as a medical interpreter and worked at Nantucket Cottage Hospital answering the hotline for Spanish emergency room patients. She began volunteering at A Safe Place, giving back to an organization that helped her in her time of need. She completed a domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy course. She was hired as the organization’s Bilingual Advocate (a position she has held for the past 7 years).

Carla and her toddler continued to move seasonally between winter rentals and friends’ homes for the next three years. Eventually, she was able to secure a year-round rental, but the security was short lived. After a short time, the owner needed to sell the property. Carla once again found herself looking. By this time, Carla’s second child was born. Even though she had an extensive and varied network of friends and associates, she simply could not find an affordable year-round rental for herself and her children.

Around this time, Carla was introduced to Housing Nantucket’s Affordable Rental Program. Carla met the income requirements which enabled her family to qualify. The timing was right– Housing Nantucket had just completed a house-recycling project and a new cottage was available to rent. Carla and her two children moved in and have been Housing Nantucket tenants ever since.

“Too many Nantucket people live in difficult housing situations that I myself was in just a few years ago,” Carla said. “Every day at my job at A Safe Place, I see the effects of an unhappy home life. For a child, sharing a room with a parent is so stressful. Children either get emotionally introverted and painfully shy, or they get extroverted and rebel. Every aspect of child development is impacted: educational, physical, and emotional. Children need a safe space to grow, but on Nantucket, parents don’t always have access to that. It’s very sad.”

“I am so grateful that Housing Nantucket provides me with a stable, clean living space where I can raise my family in peace. When I see my children go up and down the stairs, playing in the basement and spreading out their homework, I know we are truly blessed. Simple things like cooking together in privacy and peace… those happy memories will last a lifetime.”

Housing Nantucket helps hard-working people like Carla raise children in a healthy space. Your donations enable us to expand our reach.