“We want to stay in the community. It’s going where it needs to go, and we want to go with it,” says Maggie McCollum.
She is one of over 20 neighbors who have participated in the Legacy Home Repair Initiative. A leading advocate for South Atlanta and a friendly face throughout its streets, we caught up with her to hear about why she thinks Legacy Home Repairs will sow future flourishing.
FCS: Talk to us about the role you and other neighbors play in the community.
Miss Maggie: We’ve been in this community for decades, and we have the story of this neighborhood. We know the history. We know where we’re at. And we have a vision for where we’re going. Fifteen years ago, we were facing some struggles as a community. And fifteen years ago I predicted there would be a change in South Atlanta. That change is happening right now. That’s the kind of wisdom us elders can bring. There’s going to be change, and involving us can make sure it’s the kind of change that makes everybody’s life better.
FCS: We agree! We love having you in the neighborhood. Could you share a little bit about why you think Legacy Home Repair is important and how it supports our neighbors?
Miss Maggie: Because me and other neighbors have been here so long, we’ve seen costs go up a lot. Some of the prices for taking care of things we need done are really expensive. It’s out of reach for a lot of us, and that can create a safety issue.
FCS: Absolutely. Could you give us an example?
Miss Maggie: Here’s a big one: air conditioning used to be seen as a luxury, but now it can be dangerous not to have it – especially for older residents. One of our neighbors had her HVAC and air conditioning go out in the middle of the summer. It was going to cost thousands of dollars to fix it. It was outside her budget. She would have been unsafe in her home without it due to the heat. Having a program that can help fix issues like that keeps us here and keeps us healthy. We are happy to welcome new neighbors and young people to the neighborhood, we just want to be able to stay, too.
FCS: That makes so much sense, and we want you to stay, too. Can you tell us a little bit about your own home?
Miss Maggie: First, my home is historic. It’s 104 years old, and the original owner was named Mr. Willis. He sold coal throughout the neighborhood and grew a community garden. He kept his neighbors fed and warm. One of my goals is for this house to be registered and for his legacy to be kept alive. That’s down the road, though.
I got involved because what I really need is insulation and new siding because my home is historic. I have all of the original wood siding. We are still going to get to that. What we’ve done so far is two things: taking care of a chimney that had started shifting and working on my air conditioning in the attic.
With the chimney, I had been using it as a closet. It started shifting, and it got to the point that bricks were collapsing into my closet. I did the best I could to fix it with the resources I had, but when Cynthia came in to look at it she said that FCS would find someone to work on it. They put up new sheetrock and stabilized it.
FCS: That’s great! And the air conditioning?
Miss Maggie: Well first off, my air conditioning unit is in the attic. Of course, it was added after the home was first built. The problem is that the condensation from the unit would leak into my living room ceiling. The FCS team changed my filter and got the unit moved to the hallway to solve that issue, and to make sure I didn’t have to go upstairs to change the filter myself.
Like I said, the siding is next on my list!
FCS: Noted! We know that a lot of older neighbors love their homes and have some key repairs they need taken care of, too.
Miss Maggie: I do, too. That’s why I really encourage everyone building in the neighborhood or moving into the neighborhood to get to know us – the people who are already here. We are still here. We will check on you. If you’re building next to us or moving in, come check on us. This community is going where it needs to go, but it can be hard for older neighbors to keep up. I want people to remember that we’re here, we have the story of this neighborhood, and we want to stay.
FCS: That’s an important reminder and call for all of us, including FCS. We are grateful for your voice and for everything you do in South Atlanta.
FCS is honored to bring partners and neighbors like Miss Maggie together to make sure that older neighbors can age in place. Let’s keep working together to make sure that every generation can stay rooted in a neighborhood full of opportunity, access, and belonging.
Check back on our website in a few months when FCS unveils pictures of even more updates on Miss Maggie’s home!
