Danielle and her children, happy in their new home!
This year has brought unprecedented times as we are all living through a global pandemic. When many things came to a stop, others kept moving forward, such as Danielle, a new HACSB homeowner. Danielle’s determination and perseverance kept her focused on her goals, in which life’s struggles or even a pandemic was surely not going to stand in her way.
In 2017, Danielle and her five children were experiencing homelessness. Moving from shelter to shelter, she was determined to find a better life for her family. In her search for resources, she learned about HACSB’s Homeownership Assistance Program, but in order to enroll, she needed to be a program participant for at least one year. As a result, she applied to the Barstow Affordable Housing Community waiting list and eventually secured housing. Once stable in a safe home with her children, Danielle secured full-time employment and began improving her credit. Through a process of paying off her debt and saving money, after two years, Danielle was ready to purchase a home.
In March 2020, as the pandemic began to surface, Danielle was unsure how this was going to hinder her journey to homeownership. With the help of HACSB staff, Danielle launched right into the process – secured a lender, found a home, closed escrow on July 28, 2020 and received the keys to her very own home.
When asked what advice she would give others thinking about homeownership, Danielle stated, “At first, I feared how I would do it all. But as I started the process, I realized there was nothing to be scared about and it was a lot easier than I thought. Just keep moving forward, it can happen.”
Congratulations to Danielle and her family. We wish her the best of luck on all her future endeavors.