Thank you to everyone who celebrated what “Home Is…” at our Holiday Party this year!
We hope you consider a tax-deductible donation so we can continue to promote the creation of quality affordable housing for people in need. Your support aids in changing the lives of your fellow San Diegans.
To Stephen Russell, Executive Director of San Diego Housing Federation, “Home is… a place to gather with friends.”
A San Diego native, Stephen Russell is no stranger to communities in need of affordable housing. He started his career managing art cinema houses, including opening the Landmark Theatre in Hillcrest. Steve shares that “this is my home [and] I absolutely love this city.”
This love for the city led Steve to manage the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association. From there, Steve went to architecture school and “spent 8 ½ years practicing architecture. I was with Platt/Whitelaw Architects – a sustainable architecture firm here in town.” He appreciated that those years taught him a lot about public work and public improvement. Steve received a crash course in city politics, when he worked in then Councilmember Toni Atkins’ office, “representing her on issues of redevelopment, economic development, small business, affordable housing and communities in North Park and City Heights.”
Steve’s zest for affordable housing really began when he worked with Toni Atkins’ office when she was getting financing for developments as a city Councilmember. He was inspired by how the funding came together to build affordable housing developments, citing the “total transformation of the street space of the lives and the individuals who lived there.” That led to a ten-year run on the board of City Heights Community Development Corporation. Steve shares how he loved his time spent with the CDC and the opportunities to learn about affordable housing from financing developments to coordinating resident services. “I loved the time I spent with the CDC and the opportunities that it presented and what I learned about affordable housing.”
It’s Steve’s diverse background of politics, business improvement, and architecture that made him an ideal fit for Executive Director of SDHF, a role he’s held for 4 years. Steve says, there’s a common theme in each of his careers, “we have really complex problems in society and it takes planning, it takes construction, it takes people, it takes community groups and it takes all of these pieces working together in order to yield real results.”
Steve reflects, “in each of my careers, that sense of how do to diagnose what people really need was a theme. You figure out the problems and come up with solutions that solve the problems they know of and the ones they never thought of.”
Steve defines affordable housing as “housing that is available to people a price that they can afford to live in and make plans for other parts of their life… it’s a stable foundation.” Knowing this is what attracted him to the Executive Director role in the fall of 2015; it was an opportunity to combine all his career skills into one and continue to make an impact in the housing sector. For Steve, affordable housing is a personal issue, he says, “I worry. Personally, I worry about how long do I have to work be able to have, to be able to stay in the community that I want to live in. I’ve lived here my whole life, and when I think about it – will I be able to stay in the community that I’ve served my whole life? I talk to so many people and I know that they feel the same way.”
“When you talk to folks who are in permanent supportive housing a lot of them just really benefitted from the fact that there was a stable place where they could keep track of their medicines, where they can make sure that they have regular meals, the counseling they receive and all the services that allow them to stabilize the foundation of their lives so that they can proceed and live their best lives.”
Steve finds the joy of the sector is the “extremely smart, extremely driven, extremely values driven” people working in the sector, and realizes that just being around them is an enriching experience, full of lessons from the heart. He recalls the Annual Conference in 2018, where his only duty was to act as emcee, that he was able to be extremely present for the event, he was able to be in the foyer and have conservations with old and new colleagues. Steve trusts his team at SDHF to orchestrate such as big event that he felt comfortable to spend the day communicating with others in the sector. “I learned a lot, and hopefully shared a lot, that day.”
The HEAL Network is another favorite memory of Steve’s, as he recollects a meeting where he heard the stories of almost a dozen individuals; their stories “shattered and moved” him. Hearing their stories allowed Steve to see some of his own ignorance of the issues facing people who can’t afford housing. Listening to their stories reminded Steve of the importance of what SDHF does, keep people from being traumatized by the effects of struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
When asked what home is to him, Steve shares that home is a place to gather with friends. Steve enjoys playing host to his friends and family during the holidays. He enjoys having friends in his home to create an environment where people feel safe, “to me, there is no other place you can be that comfortable and sharing.”
Steve – thank you for sharing your story, your heart, and your passion with us. Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do to help guide SDHF to success. Most importantly, thank you for your commitment to changing the lives of others and being the housing trailblazer we all need. We are proud to have your leadership and we look forward to an amazing 30th Anniversary year in 2020!
For Brian Maienschein, Assemblymember for the 77th District in the California State Assembly, “Home is… family.”
Assemblymember Brian Maienschein is a family man, above all else. He is a very proud single father to two young daughters and feels that being their father is one of his most rewarding experiences of his life. He understands and values the connection between having a home and raising a family. For him, being able to be at home with his daughters is what matters most. He states, “you know, without a home, it makes it that much more challenging to raise your family. It makes everything so much more challenging.” Before representing the 77th district, Assemblymember Maienschein served as a San Diego City council member and was the city’s first Homelessness Commissioner.
Assemblymember Maienschein didn’t grow up with an interest in politics; it wasn’t something that he saw himself doing or cared much about until later on in life. He explains, “I was somebody that had grown up in my community and thought I could do a good job representing them. So, I decided to run for City Council, you know, which is a great place to be involved in politics and to do local activities. So, I did that and enjoyed it.” After serving in the City Council, Assemblymember Maienschein thought he was going to practice law, but the opportunity of serving as Homelessness Commissioner appeared. Driven by a desire to make a difference in his community and impact those left most vulnerable by the city, he took the job.
“I really saw first-hand what it meant for someone to go from being homeless to being housed. It is life-changing.”
The experiences he had from being the Homelessness Commissioner not only impacted his career, but his life as well. Helping those impacted by homelessness became one of his passions and, in turn, led to a commitment to affordable housing. When asked what affordable housing means to him, the Assemblymember states, “that it is a place that allows people to live and feel secure to live with their families. Without housing that is income accessible, you can’t have a functioning work force and schools are affected as well. Without a good supply of affordable housing, the quality of life is adversely affected.” He continues his commitment to improve the community by hosting different events. Some of the many activities in which he participates are the creek and bay cleanups during the summer. He credits his daughter with coming up with the idea for this activity. He has found that the staff really enjoys participating in this event.
Over the past 20 years, he has seen communities in San Diego transform. One thing that he appreciates about the city is its diverse neighborhoods. He states that San Diego has neighborhoods that can fit the needs of people at different stages of their life. Further elaborating that there needs to be housing at all stages. The supply has to be available all throughout the spectrum of housing, if there is only supply for one level it doesn’t work. “I really think that’s what great about San Diego is whatever is that you want you can find it here in San Diego. And not all cities can say that.” Assemblymember Maienschein notes that it is challenging working in a big city, let alone a big state. He says, “California, as a state, is very diverse and what might work in cities like San Francisco will not work in Los Angeles. The same is true for rural versus populated areas. So, in those terms, California will always be challenging due to the variety in geography and different environments. It is difficult to move a state that has 40 million people.”
The Assemblymember recognizes the committed leadership and staff of the Federation and loves working with them. He states that the staff works tirelessly to make opportunities available to all San Diegans. When asked about his most memorable moment with the Federation, he named being the deciding vote for SB 2, the Building Homes and Jobs Act back in 2017. Even though it was a tough vote at the time, looking back now, he is proud to have done it, as it will open more affordable housing opportunities to Californians.
“It’s a fun time for all of us to bond and do something good for the community here in my district.”
For the holidays, his office always does multiple events for the community. From working with people experiencing homelessness to hosting a pet adoption drive, Assemblymember Maienschein and his staff make it a point to give back. The holidays are an important time for him and his staff helps him carry out all his ideas for these events. When asked to complete the sentence “Home is…” Assemblemember Maienschein said “family”. No matter how that family looks like, “that’s where you feel safe and secure. It is where you feel love and kindness. So, to me, home is family.”
Thank you Assemblymember Maienschein for your hard work and dedication to the community!
To Sue Reynolds, President of Community HousingWorks and one of the founders of the San Diego Housing Federation, “Home is… a place to reach for the stars.”
A self-described “steel kid” from Youngstown, Ohio, Sue Reynolds is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to affordable housing in San Diego. She was raised in what she describes as, “a ‘Leave it to Beaver’ suburb. A community ironically called Sherwood Forrest with a plywood Robin Hood at the entrance to the community, which should have explained to my parents why I ended up doing what I do for a living.”
Her father grew up with a fair amount of instability in his young life and that it was always important to her parents that they create a very stable home for their family. The stability of home and the power of community have always spoken to Sue, because her parents instilled the significance of them.
Sue has been fighting for justice in urban communities since she was a teenager when she began working at an urban day camp in the center of Youngstown. Sue says, for the first time “I saw houses so rotten that my paintbrush went through the fascia board and people who were so desperate for opportunity, that the grandmother got teary eyed when I told her that, I, a woman, was going to college.” This reaction made Sue angry, and through this anger, she felt inspired, and became committed to doing something to make a difference in communities that were getting left behind. Since then, her professional career has varied from organizing tenants of affordable housing while she was in college, to being a consultant who helped nonprofit developers put together financing for affordable housing. First in New York City, with the very earliest tax credit program and then here in San Diego County for the past 30 years.
Sue expresses, “The most powerful thing is to see communities transformed from individual apartments to neighbors who trust each other and help look out for one another.”
Sue believes that she has an enormous privilege to create affordable homes for people throughout San Diego. She has witnessed peoples’ opportunities expand just by the simple act of having a stable home, and this has made her a believer in each person’s potential. Her most recent experience with this was talking with one of the Community HousingWorks residents who moved into an apartment after a lot of housing instability. Sue recalls, “This resident is an HIV survivor who’s been trying to gain 30 pounds for years and never could because he was always worrying about money and always moving from pillar to post. He’s lived in our community now for almost a year and a half and he comes up to me and says, ‘Sue I gained the weight!’ Which is so huge for his future and such a telling symptom of the toll that the stress of poverty and instability takes on human lives.”
Sue was one of the San Diego Housing Federation’s founding members and throughout her 20+ years working at CHW and throughout the Federation’s history, she has always ensured that a member of Community HousingWorks is deeply involved with the committees or on the board of directors, as she values the work greatly.
When thinking back on the last 30 years since the Federation was founded Sue says, “I’ve witnessed the Federation come from a time when it was knocking on the door of people in power, to where it is today – people in power are inviting the Federation to be at the table to help solve the homelessness and housing affordability problems that many San Diegans face.”
Sue’s favorite memory comes from when the Federation was young, back when SDHF was advocating for the passage of the San Diego Housing Trust Fund, the first significant local fund put into affordable housing in San Diego. At the time, she was working for the San Diego Housing Commission and came up with the idea to get press to attend by singing housing carols on the courthouse steps. Sue wrote the lyrics, but couldn’t find anyone to lead the other singers. Sue reminisces, “I dressed up as Santa Claus and nobody knew who I was as I led the group through our housing carols and we got featured in the newspaper!”
Sue thoughtfully explains that she has always thought of the end of the year and the rapid procession into darkness as we approach the solstice time, as a metaphor for human hope. Humans dating back to before we had language had to watch the day getting shorter and shorter while having to believe that there would be light again. Sue feels that “this time of year calls on us to walk into darkness and walk in faith that the light will appear. I feel that act of hope is fundamental to the Christmas season and to all of the holidays we celebrate in this time.”
When asked what home is to her, Sue explains that home is a place to reach for the stars. She believes, “nobody wakes up in morning wanting to go backwards. Nobody wakes up in the morning wanting to be depressed or discouraged. We all have in us the possibility of reaching for the stars.” Through having a home, we gain the stability to recharge and retouch our hope so that we can reach for the starts. Home means a place where you can begin that reaching and dreaming.
Sue – we cannot express our thanks to you enough. We appreciate you sharing your story and vision with us. Thank you for all you have done to help SDHF succeed. Your commitment to changing the lives of others is an inspiration to us all!
For Kwofi Reed, the Housing Program Manager at the San Diego Housing Commission, “Home is… the foundation.”
The son of a mother who was a school-teacher in a New York public school, and a hard working father who owned a piece of a cab company, Kwofi Reed is grateful and proud of the affordable housing experience his parents were provided in order to be able to build a successful and thriving life for their family.
“Because of [subsidized] housing… my mom was able to reduce her hours, become a substitute [teacher] and go back to school. So that allowed her to get a Master’s degree and, you know, get different kinds of jobs and do better for herself and for us,” Kwofi recalls, as he reflects on the influence of affordable housing on his personal life. “It gave my mom and dad the ability to invest more in my dad’s cab company. He was able to expand, you know, quite a bit and it went from being one car to three cars, and those things couldn’t have happened without our housing being something that was sustainable and workable.”
Kwofi’s family’s experience is one of countless examples of the “over-glorified dream” of “pulling yourself up from your bootstraps,” he reflects.
“It’s tough to do that. If your housing eats two-thirds of your income, you can’t save, you can’t plan, and you are just always in crisis mode.”
As opportunities of growth opened for Kwofi’s family, they moved to San Diego when he was young. Kwofi graduated from Law School in Washington DC, without specific intention of the type of law he would study. “I can remember, I was sitting in my property law class in my first year of law school and this attorney who worked on tenant purchase [was lecturing],” he tells us. “DC has this really cool program where tenants can buy their apartment buildings, and I just thought that was amazing.” Since that course, Kwofi found his interest in the “sort of programs that gave people a chance to kind of own a piece of their own, sort of, fate.” He declares, “I found that kind of exciting!”
Through further involvement, Kwofi was led to a job directly in affordable housing, “so what had been a legal career turned more into sort of feasibility analysis… [and later] led to a job in tenant organizing, and then it kind of went from there.”
As anyone in the affordable housing sector, at this time, would know, the work is not without challenges and rewards. In his views, the challenges faced are how to creatively and persistently get these housing developments made. “I’m always super impressed with people in this industry,” he says with amazement, “people who decide to take [these projects] on— that’s just nuts!”
In discussing the challenge in building support for affordable housing, Kwofi sees that when we are content with only finding similarities at a surface level, that “creates opportunities for folks who are opposed to want to divide along those lines,” which are more superficial. But what he finds rewarding in context of affordable housing is that, “whether or not people have crosses on their walls or have menorahs on their banisters.” He elaborates, “they want a place to put their tchotchkes out and a place for their kids to hang out and play, a place to chill out and watch TV, a place to do their hobbies, and plan for their lives, and a place to feel safe.”
In order to make these connections, Kwofi emphasizes that it requires us to look beyond the first glance, you “have to stop, you have to listen, you have to engage and connect.”
Kwofi’s commitment and compassion for the affordable housing sector has been a great contribution to San Diego Housing Federation’s accomplishments. Before engaging with the Federation, he recognized “the power in associations with federations like this, in terms of what they can accomplish and how critical it is to have groups like this.”
His level of commitment stems from his conviction that San Diego Housing Federation is “essential” for discussing and advocating for affordable housing. And, he has great hope that even the most rewarding experience of his collaboration with the Federation is yet to come. “If we get the Bond measure passed, I will count that as one of the things I’m most proud of,” he enthusiastically expresses. “I’m looking forward to that!”
One of his most enjoyable moments with the Federation was helping to put together the LEGO houses for the Ruby Awards. He recalls attending the volunteer sessions “where those LEGO [houses] get put together, but it is incredibly hard to sit there. I mean, I hadn’t put LEGOs together in 15 years. So, I was sitting there putting together a LEGO house… the grand sense of accomplishment when I got that done.”
During the holiday season, Kwofi and his wife enjoy their self-created tradition of making homemade candy and brittle, which seem to be a hit! “Our house smells like a candy factory. It smells like chocolate and caramel, and nuts everywhere,” he happily shares. “Every time I smell brittle and salt, I think of the holidays.”
We hope that your home will be filled with the smell of chocolate and caramel this winter. Thank you for always bringing your best to the Federation and doing the tough work with a kind and generous spirit. We are grateful to have you as an engaged Board Member and LEGO builder.
To Simonne Ruff, Director of the Corporation for Supportive Housing - San Diego,
“Home is… love and belonging.”
Simonne Ruff “moved a lot” when she was young. She attended 14 different schools in a 12-year span and even moved countries during that time. Due to this, home isn’t necessarily a geographic place instead home is, “the feeling associated, the stability… a home means that you are loved and that you belong there.” She recalls that they didn’t have to worry about whether they would have a place to live. She is thankful that there was never any sense of uncertainty or insecurity when it came to housing, as it is for so many other families, but she remembers that constantly moving around was hard. Through this experience, she feels that she can empathize with the feelings of instability and the worry a person must have when they don’t know where their home is going to be located.
Simonne has worked for the Corporation for Supportive Housing for the past 14 years and says, “I think this work is so important to me because home should be that feeling of love and belonging. It shouldn’t be associated with fear or anxiety.” Through the focus of CSH, creating pathways out of homelessness through policy, technical assistance, lending and training, Simonne is able to make a big impact.
She boldly states, “housing is fundamental. It is a platform for people and families to achieve their goals.”
Simonne’s background in medical anthropology and the vital connection between health and housing are what originally led her to the supportive housing field. Simonne says, “When you look at what it means to be healthy, you can’t be healthy if you are not housed. So, housing is fundamental. It is a platform for people and families to achieve their goals – whether that is around family, work, school, or being engaged in the community. If you don’t have a safe, stable place to live then it is really hard to be able to be who you are as a person.” To Simonne, a home is the invisible support people need and affordable housing is a social justice issue at its roots. She believes that as a community, we want to be mindful and value access to a range of folks, and San Diego shouldn’t be inaccessible to people who have low incomes because diversity strengthens our communities.
To Simonne, “a home is the invisible support all people need.”
When she came to San Diego from Toronto, she didn’t know anyone here. She soon realized that even though she was new at CSH, if she focused on what she knew was true and asked for help when she needed it that she would be alright. When thinking back on this challenging time Simonne says it’s important to, “understand what we bring to the table personally, but also understanding that we can’t do this alone we need to work with others and as a community. There is a vulnerability in being comfortable with reaching out to folks who know a lot more than I do and have a lot more expertise to see what I can learn from them.” This is how she originally connected with the San Diego Housing Federation, during the time when she wanted to learn she reached out to Tom Scott, who was the former Executive Director who helped educate her on housing issues. Simonne recalls, “Tom was very generous with his time with me when I was a total newbie and didn’t know anybody or anything.” From there she became more involved by participating in the policy committee meetings and conference planning where she helped establish the supportive housing track, and eventually serving as a board member for the Federation.
When speaking about her experiences with the San Diego Housing Federation, Simonne remembers moments of real impact with the passage of prop 1 and 2. She recollects the excitement of being outside of our office with Stephen Russell during the press conference, as he was leading the charge locally on these important pieces of legislation focused on funding affordable and supportive housing. Overall, Simonne feels that “we are so lucky as a community to have Steve as the leader of the Housing Federation.” Other fond memories of hers are spending time at the Annual Housing and Community Development Conference every year. Specifically, this past year, she thought Chris Ko, of the United Way Los Angeles gave a particularly impactful keynote address about homelessness which is something she won’t forget. Simonne is hopeful that communities are changing around San Diego with their feelings towards supportive and affordable housing. She recalls individuals who once they were informed of research findings that shows an overall community benefit from affordable and supportive housing, ended up changing their opinion of opposition towards the developments.
For Simonne, the end of year is truly about recognizing and valuing what you have. She does this by being mindful with her family and taking the time during the holidays to consider what is going on in the community around them. There is always end of year giving and planning going on so she makes sure to talk with her kids a lot about the importance of community involvement and being grateful during the holidays for what you have.
Thank you Simonne, for sharing your story with us and for providing valuable research to help advocate for policy change that will help the most vulnerable in our community!
For the Mayor of Lemon Grove Racquel Vasquez, “Home is… Love.”
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mayor Vasquez moved to San Diego in 2001 due to her husband’s service with the Navy, and she has expanded her roots ever since. When they were first stationed in San Diego, she and her husband decided to purchase a home and settle down and found the most affordable place they could at that time was in the City of Lemon Grove. She expresses that she never would have guessed she would end up as the City’s Mayor 15 years later.
After the move, she secured a job with the City of San Diego’s Public Relations Department for the Cities Water Department and then eventually moved to the communications department. Mayor Vasquez says, “As my husband served in the Navy, he would sometimes have to leave the family for up to 6 months. Although it was hard, I decided to utilize that time to give back in the community. I would take my two daughters… and we would volunteer at community clean ups, help out at retirement homes, support different walks for different types of causes, but always keeping ourselves involved in the community.”
Mayor Vasquez explains that public service is invaluable and has always been extremely important to her and her family. She continues to make sure that her family was doing “their part” by volunteering. This commitment to serving others is what led her to greater responsibilities and civic engagement opportunities. In this, she has gone from community volunteering and leadership, to serving on the Lemon Grove Planning Commission, and eventually becoming the first person of diversity to be ever elected to serve on Lemon Grove City Council in 2012. And in 2016, she ran for the City of Lemon Grove Mayor, and won. She is now making history, serving as the first African American woman mayor elected in all of San Diego County. “Did I expect to be such a prominent leader? Absolutely not! It was not a part of my career path and I didn’t have a vision board saying Mayor of Lemon Grove on it. It just kind of happened because of my love for people and my love for the city that we live in.”
“My thought was that if my husband could serve our country with honor, courage, and commitment while protecting this nation, then while he is serving our country, I could do my part to help out at home.”
Mayor Vasquez feels, “Affordable housing is everything.” She continues, “if you have shelter insecurity then your quality of life just does not exist.” The Mayor found out about the Housing Federation through one of the current board members, Ginger Hitzke, who she describes as “an affordable housing champion.”
She describes the San Diego Housing Federation as an “amazing nonprofit, because there are a lot people and other organizations involved who put in work to ensure that affordable housing exists here in San Diego.” Mayor Vasquez calls those who are part of the SDHF, “heroes without capes.” She goes on to explain, “they do the work behind the scenes to bring about the greatest value to people and that is housing security.” Some of her most memorable moments with the Federation are shared at the Ruby Awards where these “heroes” are recognized.
Mayor Vasquez believes, “every voice has a value.”
When speaking about her experience working with diverse groups of people, Mayor Vasquez believes that even though often people think they have the best idea or approach, you should always consider alternative ways. When you are able to hear from people of diverse backgrounds and points of view she says, “That is when those conversations can happen that can shape the issue in a different way and lead to a better solution from that better feedback.”
For her, the holidays are an opportunity to reconnect with her daughters, who come home to spend time with the family. Mayor Vasquez describes that the holidays are also a chance to recognize how diverse we are as people, but also interconnected and the same when it comes to our needs. This season also serves as a special opportunity to be with the community and serve within it often. The Mayor says that she’ll “Participate in toy drives, and events where meals are being prepared and provided to those who need a good meal. It’s a really good time to connect with people and help reinforce the notion that in the end we are all the same, we just have different circumstances.”
Mayor Vasquez declares, “Home... is love. And, I say that because when you feel love, you feel secured, and when you have a roof over your head that is your security. It is a place where you can relax, it is a place where you can build a family and bonds. We all need shelter and no matter what form it is we all need a place to call home and feel loved.”
Thank you, Mayor Vasquez for sharing your story and shining a vibrant light on how impactful involvement within the community can be. You are an inspiration and wonderful spirit to be around. Thank you for all you do!
For Chelees Turner, member of the Homeless-Experienced Advocacy & Leadership (HEAL) Network, “Home is… everything.”
Chelees Turner is a self-sacrificing mother, who has truly given up everything, including her home, in order to take care of those she loves.
In 2004, her then four-year-old daughter, Ashani Riley, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare and malignant form of cancer that develops in soft tissues, specifically skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes in hollow organs. After receiving the heartbreaking news, Chelees faced two choices: taking care of her daughter fulltime or working to pay rent. She made the difficult decision to leave her job with Sharp in order to care for her daughter, Ashani Riley, full-time.
“I wasn’t working – no income – that was just like one of the worst feelings to know that you are homeless and you got a little kid here, and she has cancer, and you don’t have anywhere for her to sleep outside of the hospital.”
With limited options, Chelees had to muster up her resilience and draw inspiration from Ashani’s determination. “I didn’t know how to even explain to her what was going on, but I think she kind of understood,” she recollects. “She never really complained, and that just made me even more determined.”
As her daughter received treatment at the Children’s Hospital, Chelees was able to stay in the Ronald McDonald House for a brief amount of time. When her daughter was released from the hospital, rather than “burden” anyone, Chelees slept in her car for nearly a year while her daughter stayed with other families, who themselves had little space.
“I would let her go and sleep, and I would tell her that I would be back in the morning; because she had a lot of medication and stuff, and they had small places too,” she tells us. “But I just wanted her to be able to sleep, so I would sleep in the car around [the] block [from] where they were—[a] cousin or friends’ house I let her stay.”
Life went on like this for six months before Chelees received a Section 8 voucher. But without a job and sufficient income, it was still difficult for her to find a place to call home. By the kindness of a friend’s mom who was willing to participate in Section 8 program as a landlord, Chelees was able to rent that home for her family.
“If I didn’t get that Section 8 housing voucher, I don’t even know what I would have done,” she recalls with gratitude in her voice.
“My daughter did pass away in 2008; her cancer came back,” she goes on to say. “They just took my daughter off, so it was [just me as] one person.” The loss of a child after years of battle would have been a difficult transition for any grieving mother, but Chelees now had to garner her resilience again to find a source of income to keep her housing.
“It was hard for me to transition from the loss of my child and then having to worry about where I am going to lay my head,” she remembers. “So I just had to. At this point I had been through so much that nothing in the world was going to be worse than me losing my child like I did... Besides, being homeless is depressing.”
“I have come a long way,” Chelees says with some relief. She found the strength to go back to school, and successfully received her degree. Happily, she explains that she has a five-year-old son now. With help of affordable housing, Chelees has a place where she and her son can feel safe and find rest. “If he is not feeling good,” Chelees emphasizes, “I don’t have to worry about taking him to nobody else’s house, I can care for him at home— in my own home.” With the help of affordable housing, Chelees has been able to work and build experience in her field of work, “I’m doing what I have to do to have a better job to where eventually I can buy my own home.”
Chelees is working hard to one day buy her own home, start her own non-profit organization, and work with homeless youth, “because I know there is somebody in need more than me.” Even now, Chelees and her son, along with a few friends, volunteer their time at a nearby church to help about 12 individuals who are currently experiencing homelessness. “We give blankets, whatever we have extra around the house, and I take my son so he will know ‘this is what you have to [do to] help… Don’t look down upon nobody, cause you never [know] what your situation will be.’”
“We do what we can. We still give back and help for those who do not have a home.”
Chelees joined a cohort of other advocates with lived experience of homelessness this summer, as part of Homeless-Experienced Advocacy and Leadership (HEAL) Network. These brave individuals practiced developing their stories and organized their collective voices to address homelessness. She proudly declares, “I would tell my story to anybody if they help fix the situation.”
In her experience, she recognized that homelessness can affect anyone. “It can be young, old, veterans, you know, mentally ill,” she points out. “So, it’s just a wide range, and there [are] just not enough services, not enough housing for them, it’s hurtful to see them having to live like that— especially people who are still currently homeless.” Chelees, who is a warrior herself, says, “I just thought that they were warriors, for even coming to [share their stories].”
“[Home] is everything to me. It’s like your soul, your home.”
It’s understandably challenging for Chelees to sum up what “home” means to her. “I don’t know how to say it in one word,” she says as she thoughtfully responds. “I don’t take it for granted at all. I appreciate it. I take care of it… It’s everything to have a home, to go home and rest, to take a shower— your own home with your family, and to spend time with them.”
Thank you, Chelees. You are an inspiration to us all and your story touches us all to our core. We are proud to know you and have you as a part of the HEAL Network. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do.
To Senator Toni Atkins, President pro Tempore of the California Senate and representative of District 39, “Home is…a foundation.”
The daughter of a coal miner and a seamstress from the Appalachian area of southwestern Virginia, Senator Atkins recalls that growing up her family didn’t have a lot of money and lived in substandard housing despite her parents working very hard to provide for them. Due to her upbringing, she says when she visits rural areas of the state, she understands firsthand the frustrations that families feel toward the inadequate housing conditions available to them and a lack of water supply. She explains, while growing up her family didn’t have running water until she was 8 years old.
Senator Atkins says, “I had to learn, over time, that I was part of the larger world and that there was something out there for me. That meant overcoming a certain amount of hard feelings over my circumstances early in life.” She feels that she was able to do so through strong mentorship and names her parents as her first mentors who guided her to achieve her goals. She credits her family, friends, and mentors as being key in inspiring her, helping her realize her goals, and encouraging her to be the person that she is today. Based on her personal life experiences, the Senator feels she is able to connect with diverse groups of people and has maintained advocating for quality affordable housing as a top priority throughout her political career.
Senator Atkins believes, “everyone deserves safe and stable housing.”
Senator Atkins explains she is “driven by a desire to expand opportunity for individuals and families, through access to housing, health care, child care, education, apprenticeships, and other types of workforce training, transit, so that they have every chance to succeed.” She feels, to a large degree, that affordable housing has been her life’s work and even met her spouse, Jennifer, through their shared interest in solving the challenge of housing unaffordability.
The desire to support her family and their strong military tradition brought Senator Atkins to San Diego in the 1980s. She explains, “I moved to San Diego… to help my twin sister Tenia, who was stationed here in the Navy, and her young son Tommy.” Although she moved to San Diego for her family, she felt “inspired to become an activist.” She explains, “I was content simply to be an organizer, a health care provider, or a staff member helping solve problems behind the scenes. But an opportunity to lead found me, and I’m glad I didn’t shy away when it arose. It has been incredibly rewarding for me to know that I can help make a positive difference in the quality of life of our communities.”
Formerly, the Senator worked as a policy aide to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe for seven years, then she went on to represent District 3 herself on the San Diego City Council for eight years. She has served as a former member of the State Assembly and is currently serving as President pro Tem of the California State Senate.
She expresses, “when I was younger, I never expected to be an elected leader!”
Being a community leader has been incredibly rewarding and she feels proud knowing that she can help make a difference in the quality of life for the communities she represents at the Capitol in Sacramento. She explains, “It isn’t always easy being a member of Legislature. We are such a diverse state with diverse needs.” Senator Atkins values that diversity and rises to the challenge.
Over the years, Senator Atkins has worked closely with the San Diego Housing Federation. She expresses that she has benefitted from the knowledge and expertise possessed by board members as well as staff. When asked about a memorable moment with the Federation, Senator Atkins says, “I was certainly inspired and extremely proud when Stephen Russell, who served once upon a time as a member of my City Council staff, was named as the Federation’s Executive Director. He is an effective leader and a wonderful man who genuinely cares about our San Diego community and has consistently worked to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
Additionally, the Senator mentioned she feels inspired every time a new affordable housing development opens its doors to struggling individuals in San Diego because she knows that the Housing Federation’s “fierce advocacy” played a part.
“The San Diego Housing Federation is a true partner in our mutual goal of increasing housing opportunities for all San Diegans.”
For the holiday season, when Senator Atkins and her spouse Jennifer aren’t traveling to be with their families, they volunteer at the Scott Carlson Community Thanksgiving Dinner, held at the San Diego LGBT Center. “It’s a wonderful gathering, and I am grateful to be in a position to help serve a festive meal and spend such a meaningful holiday with members of our community who might otherwise be alone.” During this time of the year she also works with other legislative offices to distribute food for preparation for holiday meals and coordinate collection of gifts for local families who are facing economic difficulties.
When asked to complete the sentence “Home is” Senator Atkins states, “Home is a foundation. A safe, secure, and affordable home is the basis for a healthy and successful life. Without a home, mental and physical health problems are exacerbated. Educational achievement for children is much more difficult, leading to fewer career options and greater financial insecurity. A home is the largest, most basic building block for opportunity and happiness. It’s a sanctuary where we rest, recuperate and recharge for the challenges ahead.”
Thank you Senator Atkins for your dedication to improving the lives of San Diegans and for sharing with us! We are grateful to have you as a representative!
To Sylvia Martinez, Vice President of Forward Planning at Community HousingWorks,
“Home is… Family”.
For the native San Diegan, Sylvia Martinez, having a place to call home is all about having a support system. She empathizes that affordable housing represents stability for her and having worked in the sector for the past 30 years, she sees the importance of it. She explains, “None of us live as an island, it’s really important to have that village around us and stable housing is a really critical part of that.” Reflecting back on her own upbringing, Silvia shares, “I grew up in a family with six children and I was very lucky that our parents were able to give us a stable home for the vast majority of that time. We all went to the same schools and had similar friends, and family and friends and church that supported us.”
The presence of such support system has influenced her sense of home and community. “That’s part of why I do this work,” she adds. And the absence of this support for large portions of our population is what gives her a sense of mission in her work. “A lot of folks are finding themselves to be very vulnerable in terms of their housing, even retirees who may have been middle class but now are on fixed incomes.” Silvia explains, “I think there is a new sense of urgency to the work and also means that our response is that much more urgent and necessary.”
Sylvia has enjoyed being able to watch the lives of residents change once they have a stable home. She says, “affordable housing means stability.” She has been able to see the way that the residents’ goals expand when they have a stable home and are provided with helpful resources. She believes that once the residents have a home, they live with dignity and “are able to grow with a more long-term perspective.” She continues, “I definitely have seen folks’ lives change considerably when they get to move in to a brand new building, when their unit gets completely renovated, when services are offered to their children or to the families so that they can start to broaden their goals and look for the next step that they want to achieve.”
In her work, Sylvia says, “I’m always designing projects that are meant for different populations. [It is] interesting because you are trying to respond to their needs. It’s especially helpful if you can talk to clients who are, for instance, LGBT seniors or kids graduating out of foster care.” She continues, “to see what their needs are and you are getting that client input so that when you go into the design and development of the project you can include those aspects.”
“To me, the most meaningful thing that we can do is to support [the] next generation.”
As a self-described “big believer” in the next generation, Sylvia considers their success essential to the work she does in affordable housing. Because of this belief, she feels that the most important services for residents are the ones that are helping children achieve educational fulfillment whether it be through after school programs, reading assistance, and/or helping them apply for college. Aside from programs focused on children and the youth, she also is strong advocate for community activities and celebrations, which allow for support and belonging within the community of residents. Sylvia articulates, “it’s good to remember that community building in and of itself is a good thing. It helps increase the resiliency of people and finding ways to support that kind of thing is simple.” She loves being able to see neighbors helping other neighbors and believes that those types of supportive relationships are fostered through affordable housing.
Sylvia’s relationship with the Housing Federation started in the 1990’s. As a former Board President and current Board Member, she explains that she has since seen the Federation grow and expand its advocacy efforts, programs, and reach. She explains that she is very supportive of the programs the Federation has taken on as part of its advocacy, especially those that give residents a voice such as the Residents United Network (RUN) and Homeless-Experience Advocacy and Leadership (HEAL) Network programs. As a voter in San Diego, she is supportive of the Homes for San Diegans Housing bond measure and talks to her neighbors about it often. She expresses that education is key. “Trying to do what we can do to generate more resources and more information about affordable housing.” She continues, “A lot of people don’t understand how important it is and how it all works, you know, how does affordable housing get developed in San Diego.”
During the holiday season, Sylvia likes spending time with her very large extended family here in San Diego County and long-time friends. She has a lot of nieces and nephews and her own children, who inspire her to make the world a better place. Her focus during the holiday season is maintained through the thought of making the world a better place for future generations, for when they are the ones living and looking for affordable housing themselves.
“I really think home is family for me. I am part of this big extended family here, familia, here in San Diego and that is so important to me, those connections. That’s the best gift that I gave to my children, that huge source of tias and tios, abuelos, and cousins. So to me that is where home is, being [with] your family.”
Sylvia, thank you for your dedication to the Federation as a Board Member and policy committee member, who’s hard work improves the lives of others! We appreciate your support and commitment.
To Heather Pollock, Director of Supportive Housing Services at Affirmed Housing, “Home is… sanctuary”.
With a background in history and as an attorney working with the homeless population, Heather Pollock understands what it means to be an advocate. Heather explains that her background is what lead her to seek out work with an affordable housing developer. Prior to her work with Affirmed Housing, Heather was the Executive Director of a local homeless advocacy agency in San Diego. She says, “through that work, we did advocacy and legal clinics for people experiencing homelessness.”
To Heather, the term affordable housing means many things, “opportunity, stability, and dignity really. I feel like everyone deserves to have a roof over their head.”
She explains, “Just because someone lives in affordable housing doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t get to live in a beautiful place, right? I feel like whether its general affordable housing or permanent supportive housing, once someone has a roof and stability it enables them to prosper and grow and reach their full potential whatever that might look like.”
She believes that some of the advantages of working with a diverse group of people is she gets to witness people’s gratitude and generosity towards others. She says, “People have so much gratitude, even for the little things, that I think a lot of times some of us even in our day to day forget to be grateful for.” For Heather, she enjoys seeing those in the community come together to try to help each other when they are in need. She understands that with advantages, comes challenges. One of the main challenges for her is that there are so many different needs to be met and that “we are all different. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.”
Heather believes, “I should never assume without talking to someone.”
Years ago, when she was running a previous agency, she would take part in community meetings where people who had experienced homelessness would attend and give input. During a period of time when she was living in East Village, “there were three people that I would see all the time and regularly talk with. So, I got three tarps because it was one of our really rainy years and I remember that I was taking it to one of the gentlemen and he was like, ‘Well, I don’t want this. Do you have x, y, and z instead?’ I was initially taken aback, but it was also a good check on myself. I should never assume that I know what someone wants or needs without asking.”
Heather used this experience as a learning opportunity and a reminder in her work that she will “always want to get residents’ input.” She continues, “we should – whether we are developers, whether we are service providers, you know whatever our capacity in affordable housing world might be – always sit down with the people who are actually living in those properties or might be moving into them to really get input as to what they need, right. Instead of just assuming that we know based on our experiences.”
In her current role with Affirmed Housing, she elaborates, “sometimes from one property to the next it might not be the same. It’s always good to check-in and re-visit, because things change, people change, needs change, you know. Being adaptable too is a big deal and being aware enough to understand that there are so many things that we just don’t know, and that’s ok. It’s like I’ll forever be learning.”
Since coming on board with Affirmed Housing, Heather has been a dedicated member of the San Diego Housing Federation’s Supportive Housing Learning Network (SHLN) and assisted in the 2019 Summer Mixer and Property Tour. She says, “I wish there was more that I could be involved with. But those are the ways that I currently stay involved.”
During the holiday season, she is generous, as she gives both time and money to agencies that are “near and dear” to her heart. She enjoys giving in more impactful ways and doing something that can truly make a difference. Part of her generosity is that she gives daily – a simple smile and kind word. She says, “[The holidays] can be a lonely time for people. I feel very fortunate that I have a very strong family and friend base, but remembering that some people maybe don’t have that. So I think it’s kind of like, I don’t know it’s a variety of things you know, but just I try to always say hi and smile, engage with people regardless of the time of year. But I think it is especially important you know, during the holidays.”
When asked what home means to her, Heather says, “to me, home is sanctuary. A place where you can be in peace, be safe, and hopefully feel loved. Like a sanctuary, it’s quiet. Ideally, it’s your own place that you can retreat to, when you need to, from all of the day-to-day chaos that we all experience.”
Thank you, Heather, for never assuming that you know what people need and asking the hard questions. We are grateful to have you as part of our membership!
To Jonathan Castillo, Regional Director of People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) San Diego, “Home is… a place of safety”.
Jonathan Castillo is a passionate advocate who has been working with people experiencing homelessness for over a decade. He explains, “I think what really excites me – why I like to be involved in homeless services – is because I have a strong passion for advocating for those who can’t advocate for themselves, for those who are the most marginalized from our system.”
As a social worker, he has worked with many different populations within the supportive housing programs, from his work with veterans at the VA to his current role with PATH where he works closely with people experiencing homelessness. He says, “I started off working with veterans when I was at PATH and eventually started working with the general homeless population, which is what brought me down to San Diego.”
As someone who sees what stable housing can do for the community he serves, Jonathan believes that affordable housing means creating equal housing opportunities for all people. He believes that no matter their financial situation individuals should have access to adequate housing. Even though people work hard to make a living, some may be unable to make enough for the high cost of housing. He feels that being a service provider, who works daily with a diverse group of individuals with numerous needs, is extremely rewarding because you gain experience and can become adaptable to any situation.
“To not have an opportunity for them to have access to housing, it’s not ok, is not fair, it’s not right. Affordable housing creates that opportunity to be equitable to all people.”
Jonathan is hopeful that communities are beginning to recognize the complexity of homelessness and its causes. He remembers a time, not so long ago, when most communities thought that homelessness was a choice and that if people simply developed resources and solutions the problem would be solved easily, which he clarifies that now we know this is not true. Now he feels that our community is at a point where we are becoming better informed and educated about the larger systemic issues which cause homelessness and there is a lot more interest and passion towards helping.
One area in which he feels could be improved is having more qualified staff that have the expertise to serve a population with complex needs, because a lot of people who are entering into permanent supportive housing may have mental health needs, medical needs, or substance use needs. He explains, “So, we need qualified staff that know how to assess, and how to individualize our service approach based on [these factors].”
Jonathan believes that we can learn from working with diverse populations with a variety of needs, as this “allows for us to develop more experience as a service provider” and with this knowledge, service providers are able to anticipate the needs of other communities and adapt their service model to “meet the needs of the people that we serve.”
As for his involvement with the San Diego Housing Federation, Jonathan first became involved three years ago when SDHF’s Executive Director, Stephen Russell reached out to learn more about PATH. The partnership between the Federation and PATH has grown stronger and has now been focused on the affordable housing bond measure, Homes for San Diegans, with staff, including Jonathan, who took part in the march and rally on city council rules hearing on July 31, 2019. The collaboration goes further, as PATH has been working with the Federation’s Supportive Housing Learning Network (SHLN) to figure out how to enhance and improve the service model for supportive housing and “make sure that we are providing the best quality service.”
When asked about the holiday season, Jonathan says, “it’s all about home and family.”
Jonathan says that he loves the holidays because it reminds him of the support system and loves ones he has in is life. He feels very fortunate to be where he is and it reminds him that he has a support network that provides a sense of refuge, where he can reenergize every day and continue the “tough work.”
When asked to complete the sentence, “Home is…” Jonathan says, “Home is a place of safety, where I can be vulnerable and share an intimate space with my closest family and friends.”
Thank you, Jonathan for sharing your expertize and your commitment to helping others with us. We are proud to have you as an ally in advocacy.
For SDHF’s 2019 Volunteer of the Year, Epifanio Figueroa, “Home is… where love abides”.
As someone who has devoted his life to helping others, Epifanio Figueroa believes that “advocating for affordable housing [is] a worthy cause of [his] time and financial efforts.”
Originally from Los Angeles, Epifanio has been a resident of San Diego for the last 14 years. A self-described chef and caretaker of his loved ones, he understands what it means to give to those around him. With a background in geophysics and archeology, he works in the electric vehicle charging station installation field and finds time to give back as much as he can.
The holidays are the perfect occasion for him to show gratitude and create joy all around him. Epifanio explains that he likes to spend time with his family in Los Angeles and in Mexico, as well as his chosen family here in San Diego. Entertaining and home-cooked meals play a big part in his life and especially during the holidays.
He states, “when we share food we are not just sharing food, we are sharing culture, we are sharing time, and I value those things with my family in Mexico, you know it’s reaching back to my roots.”
Epifanio has been an active volunteer for the Federation and has assisted with multiple of the Annual Conferences, Ruby Awards, and the rally for the Homes for San Diegans Bond Measure earlier this year. At each event he volunteers, you can find Epifanio cheerful and ready to offer a helping hand.
Crediting the San Diego Housing Federation’s Executive Director, Stephen Russell with the knowledge he’s gained regarding affordable housing and advocacy, Epifanio says, “[Steve] has helped guide me to certain areas, certain directions. As a sign of gratitude to him for all of his help and guidance, I’ve [volunteered] for the organization on a couple of events that [the Federation] throw[s] for fundraising. I’ve enjoyed dedicating my free time now that I have a stable place to live.”
For Epifanio, one of his greatest struggles regarding access to housing was being creditworthy. He explains, “When I left college I didn’t spend my money well and I didn’t treat my credit card with the level of seriousness that I should have.” He admits that due to this, he struggled to find a place to live, and experienced homelessness for a period of time, as he was unable to afford a place to live and other necessities.
“[I was] trying to find an affordable place to live on my own, without having to burden somebody else.”
He continues, “I was in this limbo space; it would have been helpful if there had been some sort of subsidy or something to help me pay for some portion of my rent. If rent wasn’t $900 a month then maybe if it was $400 to $500 a month that would have helped a lot and enabled me to pay for my food and pay for my car insurance. The things that you need to have a fully functioning job here in San Diego and live here at the same time, something like that would have been helpful.” He adds that having access to food vouchers was an issue for him, “I made enough for rent, but I [didn’t] have enough [money] for food.” Ultimately, Epifanio was fortunate to find someone who would let him rent a room in their house as he rebuilt his credit.
Regarding affordable housing, Epifanio reveals, “I think every city can have a portion dedicated to addressing the affordable housing need and it shouldn’t be one particular area addressing the need for the entire county.”
He believes that addressing homelessness is a bigger task than just what the City of San Diego can provide. “I think there does need to be resources involving every level of government from the city, state, federal. It’s an issue that needs to be attacked from all sides. The San Diego Housing Federation is just one of the many tools available for the City of San Diego to help with its residents with promoting development for affordable housing. Epifanio expresses that housing needs to be developed in more areas of the County. “I just wished more [development would be created] throughout San Diego County. I mean, everybody else works in different places.”
When asked to complete the sentence, “Home is…” Epifanio says, “Home is my sanctuary, home is where I come to relax; I come to reenergize; I come to be restored. Home is my safe place; home is where I can be who I am, and I can be with the person that I love, so home is where love abides.”
Epifanio – We are so thankful for your help and kindness no matter the event or the challenge. You go above and beyond in all you do, and we want to let you know that we not only see it, but we appreciate it and appreciate you. Congratulations on being chosen as SDHF’s 2019 Volunteer of the Year!
