Clara Castillo is a 40-year-old single mom to son Jordan, a sophomore in high school who likes to play volleyball and video games. The pair have lived in the same Staten Island rent-stabilized apartment for almost a decade, and within the same apartment complex for Jordan’s whole life. Clara says the neighborhood, close to grocery stores and transportation, feels like “home” and has allowed Jordan to walk to every school he
has attended.
For years, Clara has worked as a data analyst, paid by the hour, for the same company. When Covid hit, everybody was sent home to work with a desktop computer. Unfortunately, the company’s system could not handle all those people working remotely, so computers kept crashing and very little work could be done. Clara’s hours were cut by over 50%. It was a shock, she recalls: “I lived check to check. I was anxiety-ridden; I felt like I was drowning.”
Clara kept up with partial rent payments as best she could. She picked up more work hours in late 2022, but her debt grew with each passing month. She just couldn’t see a way out. Then it got worse. “I got a letter with an eviction date; I had never been through this before. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, and I felt like I was failing as a mother.” In addition, her apartment needed repairs that the landlord refused to make. The financial and housing uncertainty that Clara experienced caused her to fall into a depression.
Fighting the eviction meant that Clara was “in court once a month for a year.” During that time, Housing Court Answers referred her to The Bridge Fund, which quickly assessed her situation and partnered with City government and the Coalition for the Homeless to fully address her rent arrears. “The Bridge Fund was a blessing. They gave me information about Housing Court, as well as an interest-free loan and a grant for rent and money towards Con Ed.”
Clara completed The Bridge Fund’s course on Money Management. Now, things look better for her and Jordan. Clara was promoted, is working full time, and the needed repairs have finally been made on the apartment. Clara describes The Bridge Fund as “an organization that will help. They are extremely kind and understanding.”
“I live check to check. I was anxiety-ridden; I felt like I was drowning.”