For many folks, losing housing is easy; it’s finding a home that’s hard.
Saicha knows this well. Her housing journey began with the challenging and all-too-common experience of displacement during the pandemic. The steps she had to take not only to get housed but to become stably and safely housed seemed endless. Thankfully, receiving case management from The Road Home, an organization that prioritizes families, allowed her to find a new home and focus on her own family.
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Saicha found herself without a home after fleeing an abusive relationship. With nowhere else to turn, she and her daughter sought shelter in their car. Determined to find stability, she moved into a hotel to ensure they had a roof over their heads. Soon after, she received the life-changing news that she had been admitted to the Salvation Army Family Shelter. A few months later, she became eligible for a Section 8 voucher and case management, opening the door to a brighter future.
Her family was quickly placed in rapid rehousing, first in Monona and then in Madison, navigating three different case managers along the way, a common experience for those searching for stable housing. While she speaks positively about her case management overall, she especially highlights Allison, her Housing Advocate at The Road Home, describing her as someone she “clicked with right away” and consistently felt supported by.
At one point, the apartment where Saicha and her daughter were living became the site of multiple violent incidents. Despite the circumstances, her landlord insisted she fulfill the lease, requiring her to pay the remaining rent until the lease expired. Determined to ensure her safety, Saicha worked with Allison and her Section 8 caseworker to find a way to end the lease and search for a new home. With ongoing medical challenges preventing her from working at the time, the Section 8 voucher served as a critical safety net for her family.
Although Saicha had a strong team supporting her, much of her housing search was driven by her own determination. She spent countless hours calling landlords and scouring online listings for available apartments. For Saicha, the biggest turning point came when she was finally able to sign a lease for her own apartment, located in the neighborhood where she grew up, providing her with a sense of safety and familiarity. “This is hands down the best apartment,” Saicha says proudly of her new home. “I have a two-bedroom, two-bath, washer and dryer, and two decks. There’s no violence in this community.”
When asked about common misconceptions about those experiencing homelessness, Saicha shared, “A lot of us are just literally trying to get back on our feet after the pandemic and move forward from where we were. Like, I had to quit my job during the pandemic because I had nobody to watch my child. I filed for unemployment.” For Saicha, this highlighted the ongoing challenges of achieving housing stability; it didn’t end once she had a roof over her head. While experiencing homelessness, she found it difficult to connect with family or embrace her naturally hospitable personality, describing it as both isolating and discouraging. Now, in her new apartment, she looks forward to returning to one of her favorite traditions: baking over 5,000 cookies during the holidays to share with friends, neighbors, and family.
To Saicha, family goes beyond traditional definitions; it includes her entire support system, including The Road Home. She appreciates how Allison, herHousing Advocate, takes the time to do home visits, getting to know not just her but also her daughter and their cat. One program Saicha especially loves is the “Birthday in a Box” partnership, which provides birthday party supplies for families who might otherwise struggle to afford them. She used it to celebrate her daughter’s most recent birthday.
Saicha also highlights the annual Families Moving Forward event, hosted by The Road Home each August, as a source of both joy and back-to-school support for her family. She fondly recalls spotting a Stitch backpack at the event, referring to the beloved Disney character, and immediately calling Allison to reserve it. “I said, hold it for me. She’s like, I got you.” Her family was equally delighted to win a gift certificate to a chocolate shop during the event; a treat they eagerly enjoyed as ice cream lovers.
Today, Saicha has two long-term goals she wants to accomplish: buying a house and saving enough money to afford a lawyer to gain full custody of her other child. She is hoping to get started on these goals with the help of case management. “If anybody has to go through The Road Home, I strongly, strongly suggest it,” Saicha says of her experience. “You guys make us feel comfortable. You guys make us feel safe.”