Tracy & Gerard’s Story

“I just wanted to tell you a little story about our lovely journey. Gerard and I have been married almost 17 years on the 17th of April. During this time, we have been to hell and back trying to find an apartment to live in. We currently live in a group home. I don’t like it…it’s no good. There’s this girl who constantly screams day and night for the past 16yrs. And I haven’t been able to sleep properly for 16 years because of this screaming. It’s just awful and excruciating to deal with daily. I can still hear her screaming even though she’s not around me. I can hear her in my head. However now, after four attempts [to find appropriate housing for us] we have finally found our dream apartment! It’s absolutely perfect – I love it.” 

Tracy and Gerard’s housing journey has been anything but smooth sailing, however for the first time in just over 17 long years they will be transitioning to their new home as sole occupants. A truly unimaginable dream for Tracy and Gerard. 

For Tracy, ‘the long and drawn-out process has been so disappointing and discouraging,’ especially when faced in situations that constantly get their hopes up. The housing options they viewed didn’t stack up to what Tracy and Gerard needed for their living arrangements, especially for Tracy who also suffers from claustrophobia. 

They eventually heard about a new apartment development near the edge of Melbourne’s CBD which is what drew Tracy and Gerard back to Liverty Housing to help them on their search for better housing.

Tracy has many hopes and dreams for her new living arrangement with Gerard. Moving into their brand-new SDA apartment will mean that Tracy will get to pursue her hobby of photography. It will also mean fulfilling her wish of owning her own ‘furbaby’. “I would like to have a puppy once I move into my SDA apartment and her name is going to be Rosie. It will be a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But above of all this, I know that my health will be 20 times better than what it is now, once I move in.” 

Tracy shares some advice on others who are looking to take the step towards finding SDA housing. “Just keep on pushing – don’t give up. I almost gave up…I was ready to give up and say I can’t do this anymore. But my carers and my supports fought for me and kept reminding me to keep fighting…that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. So, I listened to them, and here I am now, all set and ready to move out to my new home and I can honestly say I cannot be any happier.”