Affordable Housing and Community Support for a Widow Starting a New Business

Wendy (00:00) it feels like an actual old community. We've had a few events that have been really great, and brought the neighbors together. and it's affordable, it's like a neighborhood. It's some place where you can feel that you can leave your car unlocked at night and you don't have to worry about it. Hi, my name is Wendy Wright, and I live at Rolling Meadows in Davis Junction, Illinois, and I am a antique vendor, and I do property cleanouts. I've lived in Rolling Meadows since January of 2025. And what brought me there was my husband passed away, and I was looking for an affordable place to live that I could afford by myself. my overall experience has been really positive, and my property manager was like - she saved my life when I didn't know where I was going to - you know, was priced out of everything in our area, and she was so helpful and like a cheerleader. So I was really grateful to find that place. cause I do property cleanup, she's been able to give me a little part-time work there. So I've managed to actually meet neighbors, and And I have people over now, which we never used to in our old neighborhood. And that's a big difference with Sunrise to me is that we - I actually have friends in my neighborhood now. Instead of everybody just living in their separate houses, it's really, really nice there. so I opened my own LLC, but it was thanks to Carla giving me part-time work on the property that I was able to put my, you know, my money together in order to do that, and to find the confidence to work by myself instead of depending on my husband that did everything for the cleanout business. And plus she's been able to introduce me to people in the area that might need my help. so that's been super helpful too. I have to say Carla, the property manager... like, when I was sick back in January, and nobody from my family lives anywhere near the area, when she didn't see me for a few days, she came over to the house and brought crackers, and they went and bought me soup and so I feel like I've made a group of friends there, That if something happens to me, I don't have to worry about my daughter driving down from Janesville, Wisconsin. I can call somebody within the community. And that's because as a group of people that Carla's led working together with her at the community, and we're all like... retired I've - cause I work for another property company - I've never seen property managers make sure that all the neighbors know and love each other. And if there's ever any problems, she's right there for you. Or she's right there on your street to find out what's going on. So I just feel like if anybody moves there, especially if you're older and on your own, that it's a good place to, like, meet people, meet friends, and it's affordable. I highly recommend Sunrise Communities.