Remember this Boise woman made homeless when her rent rose? Here’s what happened to her
A Boise woman who lost her apartment and fell into homelessness when she could no longer afford her rising rent has now moved into a new home.
Traci Foy, who was featured in a Statesman story in November about vulnerable people becoming homeless as Boise’s housing costs climb, moved with her dog, Aagyn, into a small studio apartment in Garden City just before Christmas, said Anna Webb, who helped Foy during her homelessness. Foy is in her mid-50s, disabled and lives on a fixed income.
Webb, a former Statesman reporter who now works at Boise State University, writes:
“After getting her stuff out of storage (a service for which she was paying around $100 a month), she spent about two weeks organizing her belongings — including her collection of ceramic angels. She hung family photos, washed all of her clothes and blankets, and chose items to donate to charity.
“Her apartment is on a bus route, so she can get to the grocery store and to appointments.
“Other bright spots: She just found out that she’s now eligible for Medicaid benefits.
“A GoFundMe account organized by friend Lawrence Shapiro raised hundreds of dollars to help pay for Aagyn’s veterinary care. Her apartment complex is near the Greenbelt. She and Aagyn take four or five walks each day. They’re both regaining weight they lost from stress, being homeless, and being apart from one another, she said.”
The apartment is in Mallard Pointe, a 55-plus complex in Garden City that serves low-income people.
Foy told Webb: “Being in my new apartment is heaven ... I want to give a big shout out to homeless people and tell them to keep fighting and not give up. There are programs out there to help, but they won’t come to you.”
This story was originally published January 14, 2019 at 5:17 PM.
David Staats
Idaho Statesman