Finding the Place She Was Meant to Be

Marilyn says she wasn’t sure that she would like living alone when she applied for the waiting list at Chugach Manor, one of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s senior and accessible housing properties in Anchorage.

“I had been living with my son and I hadn’t lived on my own since I was about 18 or 20,” she says. When she walked in the door to view the apartment that would become hers, she remembers turning to her granddaughter and saying, “I’m home.”

“I just knew this was where I was supposed to be.”

By that time, Marilyn had applied to several properties and been on a waiting list.

“I’m a strong believer in prayer,” she says. “I prayed that I would get the place where I was supposed to be. So when other apartments didn’t work out, I figured they just weren’t for me.”

A Place of Her Own

Marilyn moved into Chugach Manor less than a year ago but has already made it feel like her own. She is happy to have space to hang her pictures, some that she hasn’t had room to display on for 20 years.

One piece of art that she now proudly showcases depicts her grandfather’s farm in Washington state, where her mother grew up and where Marilyn spent her summers as a child, “learning how to do farm work.”

“My grandparents came from Poland across to New York and then all the way out to Washington,” she says.

In addition to having space to add her personal touches, Marilyn has benefited from accessibility features in her apartment and simple luxuries like having plenty of storage and room to maneuver with a walker.

“My apartment is nice,” she says “It’s big, I don’t feel cramped.”

Safe, Accessible Features

Marilyn explains that the right side of her body was affected by a stroke in 2013, making accessibility features essential for her safety. Showing the bathroom in her apartment, she points out features like a walk-in shower, wide doorways that are wheelchair accessible, lower cabinets and counters and roomy storage areas that are easy to navigate.

“When you have to carefully climb into a tub, you feel handicapped,” Marilyn says. “Here you don't, you just walk or roll right in.”

Recovering and relearning daily tasks after her stroke was a long process with several setbacks but Marilyn says she has found a few advantages. “When you move from room to room you can set things on your walker and make one trip!”

Her comments display an optimism and view of life that she attributes to her father, sharing “You have to learn to readjust your life when you face challenges. You can cry, or you can pick yourself up. My life is good. You can make life whatever you want to make it.”

She wasn’t sure she would like living alone at first, but Marilyn has approached her new living situation with that same sense of adaptability and optimism.

“These apartments are nice places,” she says. “Your rent is based on your income. You don't have to pay for lights, you don't have to pay for water or garbage. If you have a problem, you just call up maintenance and they're there. Maintenance issues that might happen when you own your home can still happen here but you don't get that kind of support when you own a place. Here, you don’t have to find solutions by yourself.”

Independent Living at Chugach Manor

At Chugach Manor, Marilyn enjoys Saturday night movies during the winter and summer barbecues with other residents. “It’s just fun getting out, being with people.”

“If you want to talk to people, you can go out to the community room or you can walk the halls. You have so much peace and everyone is nice.”

These hallway walks keep Marilyn active and social during the winter and in the summer she enjoys walking outdoors around the property. Year-round, she watches birds and squirrels from her apartment window. She makes trips around town using AnchorRIDES, an accessible public transportation option in Anchorage, and her granddaughter Alexa visits often and takes her anywhere she wants to go.

“When I walked in, I knew I was home. I just felt love and peace,” she summarizes. “I still have that feeling every day. I wake up with this peace, knowing this is where I'm supposed to be.”

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We recognize that Marilyn's story is exceptional and some Alaskans may be in need of safe, quality, affordable housing. If you require housing resources, we encourage you to contact Alaska 2-1-1. This free, confidential resource can help you to locate assistance in your home community. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221 or visit alaska211.org.

To learn more about AHFC's rental assistance programs, visit ahfc.us/tenants.