Hannah Talik

My name is Hannah Talik, and I live with my young daughter in Landmark Estates in Warren, Michigan.

Hannah stands in front of her home while holding her daughter.

After leaving an abusive relationship, I became homeless with my infant daughter, but this community was my saving grace. We are a family here; my daughter calls our neighbors 'uncle' and 'auntie.' However, over time, the conditions in the park have made it uninhabitable. 

The numerous problems caused by the rats are a daily struggle. They come into the house through the vents; if the vents aren't nailed down, they can push them right open. They've chewed through our electrical wires. For months after I moved in, I couldn't figure out why my primary bedroom was always cold. Not only had the rats eaten the insulation beneath my home, but they also chewed holes in the heat ducts! Trying to fix this damage is an uphill battle. How much money will I have to invest before the park takes any responsibility? 

The disappointment I've faced with my rent-to-own agreement with the previous owner is a whole other story, but all we're asking the new owner for is to provide basic living conditions. I left a bad situation to give my daughter a better life. I hate to think that all this effort was in vain.

I'm proud of my community and how we've pulled together through this. We work too hard for our children to live like this. We're learning the power of organizing and working together to make our voices heard. It's been a lot of work, but we're starting to see results. Recently, the park's new owner actually sat down with us to listen to our concerns. We're cautiously optimistic that our work is finally paying off.

Yours in service,

Hannah Talik

Michigan Community Resident Leader