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On Martin Luther King's birthday - an inspirational story about a local man
Release Date: January 21, 2019

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday.  Dr. King believed that people can turn their lives around and inspired many people to do good in their lives.

 

AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY ABOUT A  MAN WHO WAS HOMELESS, A DRUG ADDICT, ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND DECIDED TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND- NOW HELPING LOW INCOME NEIGHBORS FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND LANDLORDS WHO ACCEPT SECTION 8---DO YOU KNOW ANY?

 
A few months ago Peter Hadley, a realtor, stopped by at my office with a woman who was about to be evicted from her apartment. He asked if I could help him find affordable housing for the woman he was helping and expressed frustration that it is so hard to find landlords willing to accept section 8 certificates---even for people who work.  It's also difficult finding affordable housing in Westchester.
 
I was impressed with Peter's passion -his desire to help the less fortunate. And wondered why Peter was devoting so much of his work schedule trying to help the poor.  This is his story:
 
 Peter Hadley has overcome so much in his life.  His  biggest challenge was over coming a horrific addiction to cocaine.  He  lost everything because of this addiction, and the thing he  lost the most, was himself. He  had 5 overdoses,  He told me he should have died a long time ago. The day that changed his  life forever was when he just had enough and was resigned that he would never overcome this. He tried to  commit suicide by jumping into on coming traffic.  Fortunately, the car drivers did not cooperate and they avoided hitting him.   He  blacked out  and woke up in a psych ward. He was released 4 weeks later , He was homeless.  Peter told me that everyone in his life had given up on him and he  wound up in the open arms shelter. It was a truly humbling experience and he needed to pick himself up and take his life back.
 
He starting the path of staying sober and day by day he was achieving this goal.  He  wanted to leave the shelter, but  ran into road blocks , No real estate  agents wanted to help him  or deal with him, because he was homeless and their payment would be paid by The Dept of Social Services. The  payment process would mean the agents not getting paid for weeks. He  got himself  out and vowed to be a real estate one day and help out the people, the other Real estate agents were reluctant to help, most because they don't understand how it is to be homeless. Peter does  understand how it is. The day has arrived and he and his  partner  have dedicated their  lives to making a difference and help these families and individuals get out of the shelter.
 
If you know of any landlords who are willing to accept section 8 anywhere in Westchester please contact Peter Hadley who works as a realtor for Keller Williams. His phone is 914-338-3350.  Think of how happy Dr. King would be if we could help the less fortunate.
 
  I'm thankful that we're trying in Greenburgh. - The Housing Authority, for example, is planning to build more senior housing on Manhattan Ave. Affordable senior housing will be built this year at the former WESTHELP homeless shelter (agreement reached with county and developer last year!). The town has turned foreclosed land in Hastings and Ardsley  to developers who have built affordable housing. And, we require 10% of all new  multifamily developments anywhere in the town to be affordable. We were probably the first community in Westchester to do that.   When Westchester County was forced to build more affordable housing, the unincorporated section of Greenburgh was  one of the few Westchester local governments exempt from the requirement because we are so proactive. But - it's still very difficult for lower income people (including those who have jobs)  to find housing.  And more needs to be done.
 
 
You can help change another life for the better.  Peter discusses his experiences on my WVOX radio show -link below.
 

 

 

https://youtu.be/GIDr9L5WzUA 

 

Peter is not the only person who turned his life after living on the street.

Here is a list of some celebrities who also changed their lives.  Don't give up on people!

https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-and-famous-people-who-were-homeless-2014-8#americas-most-famous-psychologist-once-lived-in-a-car-with-his-father-3

 

 

 

“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But… the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

 

PAUL FEINER

 

 




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