This experience provided me the opportunity to challenge myself in finding the positive of everyday for the sake of my children and my own sanity. Throughout my journey I woke up every morning and smiled at the Sun, thanked the universe for another day with my children. I prayed to the winds for a place to call home and asked the moon every night for patience to see through another day.
"Self empowerment is seeking the solution rather than fixating on the problem."
Coach Bobbi
I empowered myself everyday to seek happiness, motivation, and determination to get through our journey...
I grew up in Pacoima, CA if you would have told me 15 years ago I would be homeless with children after obtaining a bachelor's degree, I would have smiled and said "yeah right I will sit right here in Pacoima!" I never dreamt in my worst nightmares, or wildest thoughts that I would be homeless with my 2 children. Graduated with a double major from UCSC, landed a successful and promising career. After my 1-year lease was up, my Landlord needed to turn the her home to a vacation home for more revenue to send her children off to school. I was unable to afford the arrangement she proposed.
August 1, 2016 I had nowhere to go. Months leading up to this date, I searched high and low for rentals, I did not qualify due to my credit score, single income, and/or because I had children. I called the Santa Cruz Housing Authority and was advised I had a right to stay on the premises due to not having a place to relocate to. I thought long and hard of this decision, as I was aware of my Landlords' situation needing to send her children to school. From my perspective, how could I essentially refuse to vacate the property? This was my first rental off campus and essentially my only reference for future rentals. Feeling I had no other options, I took my kids camping on August 1, 2016, we spent the weekend at a KOA site and our homeless journey began.
Our journey went as follows:
August 3, 2016-September 6, 2016: My children and I were fortunate enough to be offered temporary housing
September 6- 12, 2016: Offered temporary housing
September 13-October 8, 2016: We were allowed to stay temporarily (1 month max) with family per their Landlord .
October 8- 15, 2016: My kids and I stayed at the Hitching Post Inn Santa Cruz CA. We had the suite but it was not the best place to stay by any means nor do I recommend the stay.
October 15, 2016- October 28, 2016: We moved to a much nicer inn, Sunny Cove Inn
October 19, 2016 I was given the call I had been waiting for I was approved for an apartment!! Move in day was October 29, 2016!!!
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From July 1, 2016- October 18, 2016 I sought housing and all I got was ….
Me:
Hello my name is Rosalinda Gallegos. I am a single mother and have two children 15yr and 2yr, I work for UCSC, I make 2.5-3x income of your rent, and I have exceptional references… (of course there is a lot more said here but for keeping a long story short...!)
Landlords Responses:
“I am sorry your credit score is not to our criteria”
“I am sorry two children, that’s too much wear and tear for the home”
“I am sorry we are looking for someone making 4-6x income of the rent”
“I am sorry but this 2 bedroom is small how would you fit your son?”
“I am sorry but we are looking for couples only."
I can not began to explain the emotional and psychical toll this situation took on me. I concentrated all of my time and energy to my children, work and seeking housing, in the midst of this all I was going through a separation. My kids were not without clothes, food or shoes but they were without the one essential item a Home. It ate away at me that I could not provide them a place to call home but everything else was covered. I had no room for a mental breakdown as I could not let my children see the one woman they depend on fall to her lowest. Many life lessons were learned throughout my journey, but one important lesson was the impact your community makes on ones livelihood at the expense of inequity.
Everything happening in my personal life seemed minute to the real issues that must be addressed in the community of Santa Cruz; affordable housing is full and the waitlist up to a 2 yr wait, landlords rent their places out for very high amounts because there is no rent control, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, I am not the only resident in Santa Cruz homeless:
Student research project looks at affordable housing crisis in Santa Cruz http://news.ucsc.edu/2016/10/no-place-like-home.html… via @ucsc
https://www.theguardian.com/…/california-homelessness-santa…
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I am grateful to those who knew what I was going through and never once allowed me to loose hope. Thank you to those that offered their homes, those that helped my family and I on the drop of a dime. Lastly, for those who gave me the space to work through this all I appreciate each of you greatly! To the woman that discounted half my stay when she learned of my situation I am forever grateful.
To my son and daughter, I love you and never forget nothing in life is impossible!
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