Stan

After more than three decades working in accounting and data entry, Stan took an early retirement to move back into his childhood home and care for his aging mother. The house, a cornerstone for his family, was purchased by his grandparents in the 1970’s and had later been the primary residence for Stan, his siblings, and his mother.    

When his mother passed away, Stan’s sister inherited the house. The property was in poor condition brought on by years of financial strain. Stan stayed to help his sister maintain the property and work through financial difficulties, including negotiating a loan modification for a previous refinancing. Despite their best efforts, they could no longer afford the house. 

In late 2022, Stan’s sister passed away unexpectedly. Without his name on the mortgage and unable to afford the terms offered during litigation, Stan was eventually forced to vacate the home after years of back and forth. The mortgage company provided a small payout and 60 days to move. On a fixed retirement income, Stan found it nearly impossible to qualify for housing—senior living options had long waitlists, and conventional apartments required more income than he had. 

In November 2024, Stan sold his car and stayed in a hotel for three weeks before putting everything he owned into storage. Just before Thanksgiving, he turned to Housing Forward’s Emergency Overnight Shelter. “I was in a really bad spot,” Stan recalls. “I was never on the street, but it was certainly headed that way. I didn’t know what was in store for me.” 

Stan stayed at the shelter for nearly four months while working to secure permanent housing. He says the days were long. After leaving the shelter at 6:30 a.m., he often sat in his storage unit or had coffee at McDonald’s while waiting for the library to open at 9. 

The library became his safe haven during the cold winter months. He spent six or seven hours there each day, using the computers, reading the newspaper, and often finishing a book a day. A lifelong sports fan and former Chicago Bulls season ticket holder during the Jordan-era, Stan devoured books like Uncommon Favor by Hall of Famer Dawn Staley and anything by New York sportswriter Mike Lupica. 

As winter turned to spring, Stan finally found an apartment he could afford. Housing Forward helped with his first month’s rent and security deposit. “I consider the Housing Forward staff friends for life,” he says. 

Now settling into his new home, Stan is focused on saving money and building his credit. While he dreams of having more space one day, for now he’s enjoying his independence and working to get caught up on things he missed over the past few months. He’s even making plans for the future, including rejoining the over-50 basketball league he used to play in.  

“It really couldn’t be going any better,” he says.