Resident Stories

“Being held accountable has been vital in improving my credit...Having the support and seeing that improvement in credit scores gives me hope that this is just a phase.” Elizabeth Bran

Living at a CHW apartment home has really propelled Priss and her family towards financial mobility.

“The support that CHW provides us with makes a huge difference. CHW informs us and helps us to become better.” Griselda Palomera

Ron is a resident of Community HousingWorks’ Alabama Manor senior community in San Diego. Ron became homeless in 1994 after he was robbed at gunpoint and his life savings were stolen from him. Without money, resources, transportation or friends, he was forced to live in shelters. “I remember it was a cold and rainy winter and I was downtown without any money in the pouring rain.

Janet takes us on a short tour of the Vista Transit Center, she stops to say hello to the bus driver; they’ve become good friends. Janet uses public transportation almost daily, and having it available right across the street from her apartment makes it convenient and helps her save money.

Terry is a gay activist, artist, writer, and 34-year survivor of HIV/AIDS. He came to San Diego 20 years ago to seek medical care at UC San Diego’s Owen Clinic for HIV/AIDS and has lived here ever since. In the fall of 2016, Terry’s landlord told him they were increasing his rent by $100 a month. As a senior relying on Section 8, this rent increase meant that Terry could no longer afford to live in the apartment and neighborhood he had called home for 13 years.

Despite his young age, Miguel Figueroa has proven to be one of Paradise Creek's most influential young leaders. His endless motivation to further the education of the students participating in the after-school program at Paradise Creek is truly inspiring.

When they moved into Community Housing Works Azusa, Clara finally had the safety her family needed with rent she could afford. The gated community offered Clara and her family both security and peace of mind. Her apartment was beautiful and spacious, so her daughters had room to live, play, and grow together in their new home.

We were ineligible for shelters because many only had space for recovering drug addicts or alcoholics. Even women’s shelters required a police report of domestic violence within the past 30 days to qualify for services, even for women like me who wanted to escape their situation before our abuse escalated.