Community Stories: Meet Sam
NHA likes to tell stories of our residents' success! However a huge part of our model is respecting the anonymity of all of our residents. In this series, we'll keep telling those stories but we will change names and remove details that could point to a particular individual (dependent on each person's preferences and comfort). We hope you'll find these stories demonstrate our commitment to serving individuals and families with dignity - wherever they're at.
Sam first moved to Calgary in 2001 via Flin Flon, Manitoba. He had studied geology at the University of Saskatchewan and been gainfully employed by the oil and gas industry for 16 years. Around the same time Sam made a career change to the concrete business, he also made the move to Sunnyside’s Riley Park Place in October of 2018 – just months before NHA would buy that same property.
He chose the neighbourhood largely because of the fact that everything is within walking distance – the grocery stores, the boxing gym, the doctor’s office, the theatre, and a giant green space (Riley Park!). In his spare time, Sam can be found playing his guitar, cooking amazing plant-based meals, and staying physically active.
Sam has the specific and unique perspective of being a resident at the time that NHA bought the building he lived in and transitioned it into mixed-income housing. So we asked him what he thought about the transition!
“NHA has made numerous updates and improvements to the building and ground during my residence. I find the staff at NHA approachable and responsive, and I am happy with my unit – it has a great view. I felt a positive impact in the sense of community through the communication skills of the NHA employees.”
He also shares that living in NHA’s diverse, inclusive community has had a positive impact on his life. He appreciates and acknowledges the importance of contributing to the wellbeing of others who “to whatever degree, need some support. This can look like a number of things – a leg up financially or the sharing of knowledge” and that ultimately doing good feels good, to all of us.
We asked Sam what’s one thing he wishes people understood about housing and well, Sam, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
“Wealth disparity is a still-growing problem for society and housing is a basic need that covers the human right to dignity.”
Thanks for sticking with us, Sam, during a big transition into ownership and management of Riley Park Place. It’s residents like you that make everything we do at NHA possible!