Valerie's Family Story

Valerie Brown has been in her East Side home since 1999. "This is it," she says of her plans to stay.

But living with her 20 year old daughter Britany and her elderly uncle Wallace in a home built in1888 has certainly come with its challenges: there was the broken furnace, a nonexistent ventilation system, and then a leaky roof. They are also the primary caregivers to Wallace and have worked diligently to make their home safe for him, installing handrails and other special equipment throughout. Everything has been just too overwhelming; "Not everyone has the same ability," she reflects.

"You’re so wound up putting out all these fires," Valerie says, and the family turned to revitalization programs in St. Paul and Ramsey County for some help. "God is good, and we got a new roof."

Through her volunteer work, she knows the East Side well and is deeply rooted in her community. "A lot of people think the East Side don’t care about their properties," Valerie says, "[but] nobody chooses to have a rundown home." Stemming from her dream of a more involved community, she is actively involved with the East Side Neighborhood Development Company, and she served on the board of the Ramsey Action Program. She is hopeful that she can be part of the growing change to better the area. "I want this home to be an asset for the neighborhood," she says simply. "The community needs an uplift."

Valerie is reassuring towards other applicants waiting to hear. "If it doesn’t happen this day, then it’ll happen tomorrow," she says encouragingly. "The hope is always there."

Britany is a promising full-time student at the University of Minnesota, who also works part-time. She is pursuing a degree in criminal justice, and will be starting her junior year this fall. And Valerie is optimistic about the future. "I always wanted to learn how to do a garden, and get some color in my yard," she says enthusiastically. "We’re just terribly excited."