Petar arrived on Nantucket in 2010 from Bulgaria. His wife, Nadya, joined him shortly after Petar obtained a green card. During their first few years on Island, the couple lived in shared housing with friends. When their first child was born, they knew they needed a space of their own. They began looking into other housing options, including applying to Housing Nantucket’s Ready-to-Rent list. 

After several years of waiting, Petar and Nadya received a call from Housing Nantucket notifying them of an opening. The couple promptly provided updated tax returns, employment verification, and landlord references. They qualified for a 2-bedroom home and were relieved to learn the rent would be affordable for their household income. Over the next few years, their family expanded to 5. They thought about moving to a larger home but the options were scarce. Petar continued to work in the construction field, and Nadya primarily cared for their growing family. 

According to the census, Nantucket’s foreign-born residents make up about 17% of the year-round population, which is larger than the state as a whole. These residents make up a critical component of our island workforce, employed in the hospitality, food service, and construction trades. Petar and Nadya’s story is similar to many others who come to the island eager to work, yet have extreme difficulty finding adequate accommodation for themselves and their families.

An affordable rent allowed the family to save money for a home of their own. When the opportunity to apply for the Sandpiper Place lottery presented itself earlier this year, they were ready. They submitted the required paperwork and were one of the lucky families selected to purchase an affordable home of their own. Now, the rental home formerly occupied by Petar and Nadya will provide housing for another island family.

“Living in Housing Nantucket’s unit gave us the opportunity to not worry about housing and focus on family and work,” said Petar. “We know that Housing Nantucket is doing a lot to help families like ours. We are happy that someone else will receive the call from Housing Nantucket about a new place to call home.”