She was about to lose her home of 20 years, but her neighbors joined together to buy it for her

Linda Taylor, a 70-year-old woman, shared, “I knew my neighbors cared about me, but I didn’t know just how much.”

For 20 years, Linda had lived in her home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a place she loved and took pride in. But one day, her landlord told her she had to leave. This news was devastating for Linda.

She had once owned the house in 2004, but when she had trouble paying for it, she had to sign it back over to the original owner. Since then, she had been renting it, paying her rent every month, and doing her best to keep it as her home.

At the start of 2022, her landlord, Greg Berendt, sent her a letter saying she needed to leave by April 1 because he wanted to sell the house. He was asking for $299,000, which Linda couldn’t afford. “I couldn’t sleep or eat,” Linda said. Losing her home would mean losing the place she felt safe and comfortable.

She was heartbroken and didn’t know what to do. Linda, who lived alone, had worked at a nonprofit organization but lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even without a steady income, she kept paying her rent, which was $1,400 a month. She used her savings, got help from family, and received government assistance, but it was still a struggle.

When her landlord said she had to buy the house or leave, Linda felt crushed, but she was determined to do something. She decided to fight for her home. “This is my house,” she told herself.

Linda shared her troubles with her neighbor, Andrew Fahlstrom, who works to help people with housing issues. Andrew understood how serious her situation was. Over the years, he and Linda had become friends, and he knew Linda was a kind person who was always friendly to everyone in the neighborhood. He also knew that high home prices were forcing many people out of their homes, and he didn’t want this to happen to Linda. He felt strongly that everyone should have a safe place to live.

Andrew decided to help Linda by talking to other neighbors. Soon, everyone in the neighborhood knew about Linda’s problem, and they all wanted to help. “Everyone listened to what Linda was going through, and they felt they had to do something,” he said.

The community came together in a way that showed how close they were. Many of them lived near George Floyd Square, where protests had brought the neighborhood together in 2020. Now, that strong sense of unity helped them rally around Linda. They quickly organized a petition and got about 400 neighbors to sign it, asking the landlord to give Linda more time and a fair chance to buy the house.

The landlord agreed to lower the price to $250,000, but that was still too high for Linda to afford. So, the community decided to start raising money. They organized events like block parties, art shows where Linda even sold her own paintings, and set up a fundraising page online.

Neighbors also spread the word on social media. People gave what they could, and a local church even donated a huge $200,000. That donation made a big difference and brought them closer to their goal.

In just four months, the community raised $275,000. This was enough for Linda to buy her home, pay for repairs, and cover some of her bills. By May 31, a month before the deadline, Linda closed the deal, and the home was finally hers. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for her neighbors.

“When it’s yours, it just feels different,” Linda said. She felt safe and secure, knowing she wouldn’t have to leave her beloved home. Now, Linda feels inspired to help others in need, saying, “I’m here to help the next person and the next person.”