My house is on the Spokane Indian reservation. My grandpa grew up on this land. He had a sawmill. He ended up paying for the land by being the lumbermill for the tribe. They would haul wood by horse and flatbed. They’d get up at dark and come home at dark from Spokane.
My dad grew up here and my family lived here for a while, in a different house. We moved back and forth from Seattle. Mom passed and grandpa was here by himself, so dad and I moved up to take care of him. Then grandpa passed away.
I inherited my dad and grandpa’s heart. In the 20 years I’ve been here, I’ve had five heart attacks. I have a limited income. I was on disability, but recently switched over to social security. My income is $1000 a month and I was paying almost $500 a month in mortgage. It was taking half my income just to keep a roof over our head.
Mortgage troubles
My daughter’s two youngest kids came home to this house after they were born, and this has been their steady place. We were all living here when the mortgage trouble started. With limited incomes, it was sometimes hard to make the full monthly payments.
The tribal credit union started sending me foreclosure warnings. Soon, I was so far in arrears, I couldn’t catch up for the life of me.
I was threatened with foreclosure. I was crying all day and night. I just didn’t want to leave my home. The tribal credit union suggested I contact Northwest Justice Project (NJP)—that they could sometimes help.
When I first connected with NJP, Claire Carden came out. She talked to me and had me fill out the application. Claire started it, then it went to Jose Trejo, and Nia Platt finished it. Nia has been around through it all. She is a very beautiful person. She helped me to understand all the legal wording.
It was a terribly stressful time. I was using most of my money to pay for my mortgage. One grandson was staying with me, and it was hard to also pay for electricity and food, especially with a child. A growing child is hungry all the time. Then there was the threat of homelessness. Also, I have ulcerative colitis.
I ended up in the hospital with another heart attack about a year and a half ago. The doctor said it was a stress heart attack. I was down for 4.5 minutes. It could have been worse: I walk, I talk, I eat, I drive.
Hope comes with legal aid
After my heart attack, Claire said they accepted the case, and I should stop worrying about the foreclosure; they would work everything out with the Tribal Credit Union and the government. That lightened my stress load.
NJP kept communicating with tribe to figure things out. They helped me apply for a Washington Homeowners Assistance Fund grant. When I found out the grant came through, I felt like jumping and leaping and praising God.
The grant brought my mortgage payments up to date. Then NJP worked with the Credit Union to modify my monthly payments. They are down to $350 a month including insurance, instead of $500. We signed the agreement on June 21, 2024.
My mortgage is now within reach. I don’t feel like I’m drowning anymore. I keep thinking of the fish, Dory. She’d say, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” That’s what I do.
Now the lower mortgage is making it easier to live. My 14-year-old grandson still lives with me. He’s a great kid. He’s on the honor roll at school. I’m more involved with the community and go to more events. Before I was a recluse. But I don’t feel embarrassed to exist anymore. Now I go to school events with my grandson. I feel more connected.
If someone is facing a similar situation to mine, I advise they contact NJP. It is an awesome group. And, if you can, donate to NJP because there are people in real need, and they could use NJP’s help. Donations are marvelous. If I ever have the chance to donate, I will.