Once Homeless, NYC Family Starts New Life At 'Sugar Hill'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Tisha Houser's new apartment in Harlem is a work in progress -- though she has no furniture yet, she does have a Christmas tree, and a place to call 'home.'
As CBS2's Kenneth Craig reported, Houser's family spent nearly two years living in one of New York City's homeless shelters after a domestic abuse situation.
"It wasn't easy, but we stuck together," Houser said.
It's estimated there are more than one million children who are without homes nationwide.
"All kinds of families experience homelessness," Ellen Baxter, founder of Broadway Housing Communities, said.
As CBS2's Broadway Housing Communities has created affordable housing in New York for more than 30 years.
"Sugar Hill," the organization's seventh building, opened with 124 units last year. More than 48,000 people applied for a spot.
The building is supported by a combination of federal funding and investments from big corporations which, in turn, get tax breaks. The building combines housing with cultural and education opportunities, like a children's museum and a pre-school.
"I think here we've crafted a model for other cities around the nation, and our own city," Baxter said.
Houser said her children have a much brighter future now, with a solid roof over their heads at 'Sugar Hill.'