Former residents, family members and transplants become neighbors at Plattsburgh Housing Authority

By ROBIN CAUDELL
Staff Writer

April 15, 2008 04:25 am

— PLATTSBURGH -- It was post-lunch time for the children in Donna Bushey's day care at her Leander A. Bouyea Court residence, where she has lived for 15 years.
"Most of the people who live on McGaulley are single parents," said Bushey, who is a certified child-care provider. "Some people come through a separation, divorce, have had bad credit or no credit and are financially stressed, which was one of my reasons."
She was born and raised in Plattsburgh. Once upon a time, she lived with her parents and siblings down in unit 143. She graduated from high school and longed to join the U.S. Air Force. She married, had children, did factory work and ended up with carpal tunnel syndrome.
After five years of marriage and three children, Bushey sought a place to live at Plattsburgh Housing Authority. During her separation, she stayed with her parents.
"I was on a waiting list four months. I'm told it's even longer now."
WAS YOUNG MOTHER
Cheryl Dame has lived on and off in the Plattsburgh Housing Authority since 1974.
"I needed a place to live," said Dame, 58. "I had a child of my own. I had been living with my parents on Point au Roche Road."
Dame grew up in Altona.
"My parents moved to Beekmantown, and I wanted to graduate with my class in Altona. I quit in my senior year. I was pregnant, and back then you weren't allowed to go to school when you were pregnant."
From Plattsburgh friends, she learned about the Housing Authority.
"I went and filled out an application. I ended up getting a two-bedroom apartment on Mildred Boulevard. Different sections were built at different times."
Eventually, she left for a three-month stint in Florida.
"I hated it and moved back home."
Dame is among the 79 people residing in the 51-unit Thomas F. Conway Apartments, built on Bushey Boulevard in 1963. She has served eight years as one of two resident commissioners -- one representing seniors and the other families -- who sit on a mayoral-appointed board.
"I was asked to run for family housing, and I did," Dame said. "If you're appointed, it is for five years. If you're elected, it's two years."
MOST AFFORDABLE
A daughter's medical condition was the reason Sandy Tabor relocated here from Rensselaer to raise her grandchildren.
"My daughter married and moved up here," said Tabor, 62. "She has lupus. I moved up here to be with her. She was getting chemotherapy."
Tabor signed her name on the waiting list for the Plattsburgh Housing Authority and was pleasantly surprised.
"I didn't know how I would like it. If I didn't live here, I would not be able to afford it. We get Social Security. Social Services will not help us.
"Since I've moved here, it's better. I'm getting older. I'm not feeling good. I have diabetes, arthritis really bad in my feet, a lot of bone spurs, bad knees and high blood pressure."
FAMILY TIES
Ashley and Nicholas Harris moved in the Leander A. Bouyea Court, with their 14-month-old son, Dominic, in January 2007 after almost a year-and-a-half wait.
Before, they lived in a Margaret Street apartment in the city. Now, the Harrises are among the 216 people, like Donna Bushey, living in the 84-unit court.
"I didn't want to raise my son there (Margaret Street) because of the conditions," Ashley said. "It wasn't very clean.
"I like living here. My grandmother lives over in 19. I have family near if something happens. My aunt lives in 23. I know pretty much everybody around here."
The Harrises welcomed a daughter, Kaytrin, on Dec. 20, 2007.
"We moved because we needed a bigger apartment because we had a baby girl," Ashley said.
rcaudell@pressrepublican.com

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