Meet the Conductor of the SJHP Rehab and Community Projects
By Carole Hawkins
If residential rehab takes an orchestra of players, then at St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP), Susan Giddens is its conductor.
Giddens pulls together the workers, permits, inspections and financing that gets leaking roofs repaired and wheelchair ramps built for low-income people.
A Navy veteran and former high school science teacher, Giddens established herself in home building as a field manager for Summit Contracting, the nation’s largest residential contractor. All went well until 2008.
“The housing industry bottomed out. And I was at the bottom of the bottom,” she said. “I needed a job. Bill Lazar needed a helper.”
Lazar is the executive director of the St. Johns Housing Partnership.
Working for Lazar at SJHP made Giddens realize she had a place in the community. It also opened her eyes to how others live.
“A person can afford a house when they’re working, but when they get old and lose their spouse, they can lose half their income. They don’t want to move to a nursing home or live with their kids. But they can’t afford to repair their roof,” Giddens said.
“She really organizes our wide scope of work. She must examine what we can do, how we can do it and in the long run estimating a budget and assigning tasks to fulfill our mission,” added Lazar.
Helping needy homeowners is a tough mission, but it’s the right one for Giddens.
“I found what I’m good at. I don’t give up. I keep helping people until they can stay in their homes,” she said.
Founded in 1998, the St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to developing and preserving quality housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans.
SJHP is redefining affordable, low-income housing. We acquire and renovate existing housing, as well as build new affordable rental and for sale properties and repair homes.
For more information visit www.sjhp.org.
