Kim and Ernie have lived at Huntington Place in Brooklyn Center for five years. Before moving to the property, they owned a townhouse in Minneapolis. Ernie is an essential worker. He is a Nursing Assistant in long-term care. Kim also spent her career as a nursing assistant.
But after Kim got hurt at work, her arthritis started to get worse and worse, until she couldn’t work anymore. They needed somewhere that was more affordable, and more accessible. With their limited income, though, finding a new place was difficult. “We had nowhere to go but Aeon, truthfully,” Kim explained.
The couple had previously rented an apartment at a different property in the area which was shut down due to gang violence. When they moved to Huntington Place, they hoped it would be a better place to live. But at first, it wasn’t.
There were teenagers outside having loud parties, using drugs, and firing guns. Kim and Ernie barely left their apartment because they didn’t feel safe.
But since Aeon took over, things are changing, they say. Ernie describes, “Believe me, it was a lot of bad last summer. But we struggled through it. It’s a new day. A better situation… it’s progress, it just takes time.”
Since buying the property, Aeon has added 24-hour security on site. Today, the community outlook has changed. Residents are beginning to learn the names of their neighbors and have community gatherings together. Some of the young people have even started helping Ernie carry Kim’s scooter and helping Kim down the stairs, they explain.
There aren’t many affordable options in the area, so Huntington is going to keep being their home. Ernie describes, “no long-term goals, as far as leaving. We plan on being here for a while.” Kim adds, “I love it here, and anybody that wants to come – we’ll take ‘em on a tour!”
Kim and Ernie are proud of their home, and it is this work that Aeon is pushing to do. Thank you for caring about Huntington. Thank you for caring about the families that live here. And thank you for supporting them through both the good times and the hard times, because, as Ernie says, “it just takes time.”
