The Power of One

It was with great sadness we learned that Verdis Ranking died in Florida during this past summer. Verdis was a remarkable woman who joined the Habitat family in 1991 as one of our pioneers on Trust Street.

A short street of mostly double houses Trust Street was once the home to Italian families who eventually migrated to other parts of the city and the suburbs. Habitat acquired six vacant properties and in the early 90s began their refurbishment. Although I didn’t arrive at Habitat until 1994 people have many stories about volunteering on these properties. In fact, one house was an early project of Nixon Peabody and Chase Lincoln Bank.

Verdis Ranking was a woman, short of stature, who had a formidable presence and a vision of what Trust Street could become. Unfortunately, the other 12 properties were owned by absentee landlords and their condition rapidly deteriorated as minimal repairs were done. Not surprisingly, given the condition of the properties, there was a high turnover of tenants causing a transiency that undermined efforts to create a community.

Verdis was disturbed at what was occurring and quality of life that quickly deteriorated as some tenants actively dealt in drugs and others had ‘pay to enter parties’ that went on late into the night. She formed a block club, actively engaged the help of Mayor Johnson and the NET (Neighborhood Empowerment Team) office, and Joan Roby-Davison, CEO of Group 14621 Neighborhood Association. Soon there was a neighborhood clean-up and residents developed a code of conduct.

One thing that troubled Verdis was the high density of children on this short street—as many as 60 at any given time. What were these mostly younger children to do after school and during the summer and holidays? Verdis, who owned a double house, converted one side into a children’s facility. During the summer she took advantage of the city’s free breakfast and lunch program and was able to offer nutritious meals to the Trust Street children. She purchased an adjacent lot and started to grow vegetables—aided by the children and local adults. There were also field trips and reading and computer activities.

Verdis brought hope to Trust Street and it seemed that at last there was a possibility that through her indomitable spirit it would become a place where it was possible to live in peace.

Sadly, this hope was dashed when through a medical error Verdis became paralyzed from the neck down, with only movement in one arm and a slight movement in her other hand. I visited Verdis at her nursing facility, where she was cared for with great kindness. Once her malpractice settlement was finalized, which took several years, she paid off her mortgage to Habitat (we had boarded up her house to keep out intruders) and eventually moved to Florida, where her brother lived.

Unfortunately, no other leader emerged to take Verdis’ place on Trust Street. The city has since demolished three houses and a number of rental properties are abandoned. So Trust Street is quiet and peaceful, but not the kind of peace and quiet Verdis had envisioned and worked for.

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