Meet Carter
When you enter any of Roof Above’s permanent supportive housing campuses, you’ll be greeted by one of our Tenant Support Specialists (TSS). TSS team members support the daily management of our housing programs and help coordinate care for tenants. Keep reading to meet Carter, one of our awesome Tenant Support Specialists based at SECU The Rise on Clanton (TROC).
Carter Davidson has been at TROC for nearly a year. He describes his role as “facilitating everybody coming in and out of the building, keeping up with messages between doctors and case workers, and watching cameras to make sure everything is good.” He says that his work “looks different every day.”
When asked his favorite part of working at Roof Above, Carter says “I really like Roof Above’s Housing First model, that’s what drew me here in the first place … I really like that we take people in as they are, and we work with them from there.” Housing First is the philosophy that a critical part of ending homelessness is housing people first, and then offering supportive services to people once they are in housing.
Stability and Connection
In practice, Carter describes Housing First at TROC as “giving people stability so that they have something solid to jump off of, instead of having to somehow find stability in an inherently unstable environment.” Carter has conversations almost every day with tenants who express gratitude for having a safe and supportive environment.
Carter is a lover of music and a musician — he plays tenor saxophone! He has connected with many of the residents and staff at TROC through streaming music over the lobby speakers. “I’ll play anything, ranging from classical music to Latin jazz to electronic soundscapes to hip hop. I’ve talked to Gerald about jazz, and I’ve connected with Willy about country music.” Carter reflects, “I have just been reminded of how powerful music is and how it can bring people together. That’s been a particularly cool experience.”
Carter appreciates the opportunity to support Roof Above tenants in their housing. He says, “Working here has given me more confidence to step up and help other people with the very specific issues they’re dealing with. I’m grateful to be a part of this.”