Eillen first came to Nantucket on vacation in 2007. She lived in New York and was visiting her brother. A friend’s cleaning crew was short-staffed, so she offered to help them out. Eillen struck up a conversation with the homeowner, who worked in the Special Education department at the Nantucket Public School district. Eillen learned the school desperately needed interpreters, and Eillen was fluent in Spanish. Ready for a change, Eillen applied for the position. She was hired in English Language Services and decided to move to the island.

As a member of the school staff, Eillen was eligible for Nantucket Education Trust (NET) housing. She moved into one of the apartments at Cow Pond Lane and quickly became an important member of the community. Over the next few years, the school’s Spanish-speaking population grew rapidly. Eillen provided a critical service, as she helped children who were new to the country and assisted in passing important information to their families.

Eillen’s personal life flourished as well. She became a mother of two, and though her relationship with the children’s father came to an end, they both lived on-island and co-parented together. Eillen started a house cleaning business to supplement her income as a translator.

By that time, Eillen had lived in NET’s housing for several years. NET needed the housing for newly-hired teachers, and Eillen was encouraged to move on. She applied for local affordable homeownership lotteries, but ultimately wasn’t selected. She applied for a Housing Nantucket rental. Because her two children were of different sexes, she needed a three-bedroom home. She knew those were particularly difficult to come by as there weren’t many in the inventory and they turned over infrequently.

“We wanted to stay on-island,” said Eillen. “I liked my job. My kids were born here. They have a lot of friends. They enjoy playing sports at the school and the club. We love this community.”

One of Eillen’s cleaning clients was a local real estate agent, and she encouraged Eillen to think differently about buying a home. The client touted the investment potential of the real estate market, and how it could help Eillen’s family in the future. Prices on the island were prohibitive, but Eillen thought creatively. She concentrated on tackling the large down payment necessary to buy a Nantucket home.

Then the pandemic hit. Everything screeched to a halt. Eillen considered moving to the Cape and telecommuting to the school, but that was not a viable option. Determined to secure housing on the island, she focused on the Covenant Program. She learned she met the income and asset qualifications, so she became qualified as a buyer.

A few months later, Eillen got a notification that a Covenant home became available in her price range. She called the sellers immediately and viewed the property. The house was in good condition, and the layout was right for her family. This was an affordable option for her, in a good neighborhood close to the school. She made an offer on the home, which was accepted. She put down a deposit.

Eillen kept her eye on the prize and stayed organized. She made sure to respond quickly whenever anything was asked of her. She stayed calm, until finally her patience and persistence paid off. Eillen closed on her Covenant house late last month.

“There were a lot of people who helped make this happen,” said Eillen. “Lauren Ard, my mortgage loan officer at Cape Cod 5, and my lawyer Michael Wilson were also great. The closing was delayed several times due to issues that were out of our control. But they encouraged me all along the way.”

“We’ve been cleaning a lot,” said Eillen. “And it’s been fun finding furniture and decorating. I’m so happy to be in a position to do this. My job with the school is expanding. And with this stable housing, I can be there for the kids in this school district for a long time.”

Housing Nantucket’s programs help critical personnel like Eillen live and work on the island year-round. Your support enables our work. Thank you!