C h a r l i t a Watlington HOUSING THE HOMELESS HERE AND NOW
T he growing American tragedy of unhoused hearts and souls sheltering in the streets is a problem for all of us. Many may even describe this issue as our national shame. The problem is a complex societal infection most prefer to leave untreated even as it spreads, and viable antidotes have so far eluded both our best and not-so-best efforts. Yet in the greater Baltimore community, we do have compassionate, capable and dedicated hands reaching out to lift our hearts and souls out of this spiralling abyss, and Pleasant Housing Inc. provides the warm, welcoming home where those hearts and souls can safely and securely re-stabilize their lives. And as Senior Director, Charlita Watlington is the strong woman providing the reliable structure, steady guidance and rock solid road map to a brighter future for all 73 of her resident family. In recent conversation, the great Ms. Watlington—an informal title her newest family lovingly insist upon—shared her philosophy of gratitude as she described her own almost entirely unplanned but entirely fortuitous arrival at Pleasant Housing Inc. With over two decades of professional success in property management on her resume but approaching professional burnout in her chosen field, Ms. Watlington made the decision to return to school to polish her academic achievements. And then fate took her hand. In 2015 while continuing her education, a near chance networking opportunity arrived when Pleasant Housing’s owner, Tia Boyd, met Ms. Watlington and immediately recognized that her vast professional experience and specific expertise were exactly what PH Inc. so desperately required. For her part, Ms. Watlington saw the opportunity to dive into her own heart’s desire and chosen vocation—Volunteering and giving back to the community that had given her such joy and success.
Of course the challenges of housing a multitude of adults in varying degrees of distress—mental health issues, substance abuse history, recent incarceration— demanded a dedicated map with a firm hand guiding what was a long forgotten or previously unknown path for so many of her newest family. That Pleasant Housing map as per Ms. Watlington currently covers six houses (4 male only, 1 female only and 1 coed) and includes- • Mandatory In-House Group Counseling • Mandatory Medication Management • Mandatory Household Maintenance • In-House Nurse Practitioner • In-House Manager • Regularly Scheduled Life Skill Sessions with the Senior Director
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