In December 2022, Verdell was one of the first clients to move into the Snapfinger house purchased by A Home For Everyone in DeKalb. We initially met Verdell just after his mother's death, and he was facing eviction from the home he shared with her.
His mother had a reverse mortgage on the property and according to bankrate.com,
“Typically, homeowners use reverse mortgages to supplement their retirement income, pay for home repairs, or cover medical expenses.”
However, the downside is the loan must be repaid when the homeowner dies or sells the house. Verdell didn’t know about the reverse mortgage on the home and told us about the situation.
“I was about to be put on the street and I didn't know where I was going. My neighbor Osheen had helped me hook up with y'all. I just got out of the way and I was glad that I had somewhere to go.”
During his time living at Snapfinger House, he worked towards the goal of moving into senior housing. “I knew I was wearing out physically, especially my knees. I can't walk a lot."
A Home provided the assistance of caseworker Kenny Anderson. "He gave me some paperwork to check out senior living (options) and I went all over putting in applications. He wanted us to move forward - there was no time limit so I went on the west side, the north side, and on Wednesdays, he would help us complete the application. 3-4 that had contacted me once I put in the application but Park Trace was asking me to come on. I sure appreciate that they want to see me doing better.”
For Verdell, his biggest challenge was learning how to be on his own again.
“I came back to help my mom in ‘84 and we were dependent on each other until she passed, but now I have to stand on my own two feet and if I need help, I have someone who can guide me the right way, kind of like a mother figure or a support family. I know that everyone wants me to try harder myself. They don't mind talking to me and giving me information. I'm learning how to cook little stuff and maybe one day I'll be able to cook a meal.”
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