March 2024 Newsletter

20 Years of Community Impact

Three faithful management team members in Houston just celebrated their 20-year anniversary with Atlantic Housing Management! Community Manager Cathy Cornett, Assistant Manager Gladys Saravia, and Lead Service Technician Willam Castro have been serving Arrowood Apartments residents together since the 1990s. 

In the early years, Atlantic Housing Foundation Founder Dan French invited community managers to come to the Dallas area to get to know the heart of the Foundation. Cathy immediately took to the people and the mission. "I loved everything I was hearing and how they were more about changing lives than making money.”

When a team invests two decades into an apartment community, they can't help but be bonded together as they share life experiences with their residents. “There are marriages, babies, miscarriages, divorces, some become American Citizens, someone dies, someone is a victim of abuse - we've shared all of these with different residents," Cathy said. "It's really hard when there are deaths of those we've gotten close to, but it's also a privilege to maybe offer some comfort to the families that have to come and clean out those apartments.”

Though the Arrowood team has impacted many lives over the years, a couple of stories stand out. One is the time they helped a refugee family get rent assistance through Atlantic Housing while the father was undergoing cancer treatments. When he recovered, he applied for an Atlantic Housing Foundation Scholarship, which helped him to go to school to become a respiratory therapist. The family moved away in 2015, but the Arrowood team is still in contact with them to this day.

Another vivid memory for the team involved Hurricane Katrina. They worked tirelessly to help displaced victims of the catastrophe. Not only did they offer short-term leases and waive fees for families sheltering in the Houston Astrodome, but they also provided mattresses and collected donations to help these struggling families get back on their feet and start to rebuild their lives. 

When asked what they love about their jobs, each team member offered a different perspective. Cathy enjoys the variety. “I love that my job is a combination of just about every job out there - marketing, accounting, marriage counselor, grief counselor, cheerleader, headhunter, psychologist, and attorney.” Gladys likes the interaction with so many different people while learning new skills along the way. Many former residents keep in touch with her after they move and consider her a friend. And Willie loves that this job has taught him skills that took him from being a porter to Lead Service Technician.    

The Arrowood Three were recently awarded by Atlantic Housing for their 20-year tenure, and we could not be more proud of their faithful work in this community. They continue to add other amazing people to their team who will surely make a difference for residents in years to come.

We can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will bring. 

Date Night Bingo at Westfield Student Housing

Treats for our Furry Friends at

Waters at Elm Creek in San Antonio

Arts & Crafts at Waters at Sunrise in Round Rock

HR Generalist Autumn Wilson's very spoiled pet pig. Happy first birthday, Jolene!

Scott, Tiara, and Janelle at Opportunity Home San Antonio's Housing Fair

Do you have a story about Atlantic Housing's impact in your life or community? Tell us about it at communications@atlantichousing.org. We'd love to feature your story in an upcoming newsletter.