St. Joseph’s High School: Classrooms to Bedrooms in the City of Lowell, MA

Robyn Long Navas, CBA's Community Organizer

As CBA’s community organizer, I have met some of Lowell’s residents with the greatest need, and have learned first hand about the need for more apartments that offer quality, affordable housing in Lowell. I have seen a mother and father squeeze their family of five into a small two bedroom apartment, who have been on a waiting list for a three bedroom apartment for years. I have seen single, working women, whose children are grown, struggle with the costs of living alone, and even though they are nearing retirement, continue to work to keep a roof over their head. And I have seen a single working mother struggling to recover from a broken marriage, who wants to move after living in one place for 15 years because she and her child need to leave some memories behind, but have been waiting for Section 8 housing for more than 10 years.

As CBA’s community organizer, I have also had the privilege of entering many of CBA’s properties and meeting the people who have turned our affordable apartments into very happy homes. In July 2008, CBA completed renovations of 15 affordable apartments in the former St. Joseph’s Elementary School, CBA’s most recently completed development project. These beautiful apartments were rented out through a lottery, whose application process received more than 100 applicants! We organized a New Tenant Welcome in the common area of the building after all of the selected tenants had moved in, and it was amazing to see how happy and appreciative people were, and how their lives had been transformed, to have the opportunity to live in quality, newly constructed apartments. From the astonishing re-furbished original hardwood floors, to the high ceilings and whirling ceiling fans, this former elementary school is the model for what the St. Joseph’s High School can be.

I vote for St. Joseph’s High School because I want to knock on more doors where I am greeted by someone who feels like they have won the lottery.

- Robyn Long-Navas is CBA’s Community Organizer.