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Contents Success Stories
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| El Paso Success StoriesDecorating a Dream
Today, these prized objects—collected over the past 10 years—are artfully displayed throughout Gloria and Karina’s home. “Thanks to God and HOYO,” Gloria says, “my dream has come true.” Gloria has received disability benefits, her only income, since epilepsy and uncontrolled seizures forced her to stop working several years ago. She found out about the El Paso Home of Your Own program when she applied for housing assistance through the City of El Paso. HOYO’s services are designed for people with disabilities who, like Gloria, have limited income and little chance of buying a home through traditional housing programs. The best part of being a homeowner, Gloria says, is the privacy. She feels “more relaxed and tranquil” now that roommates and landlords are necessities of the past. Privacy is important to Karina, as well. A typical teenager, she enjoys having her own room and personal space. Gloria jokes that, unaccustomed to having so much room, she and Karina occasionally lose each other. But, they always find each other again—peaceful and happy in the home they own. Moving On In The Future
It’s a typical moving day scenario—and one all the more special to Irma, who wasn’t sure she’d ever own her own home. It would not have been possible, she says, without El Paso’s Home of Your Own program. Irma tells much of her story in American Sign Language (ASL)—no small accomplishment for a person whose first language is Spanish. She’s attending classes to learn English and sign language in order to reach her goal of becoming a certified sign language interpreter. Her own hearing loss makes her more aware of the need for effective communication between people. With HOYO’s help, Irma came to understand the complexities of buying a home. “I wouldn’t have known what to do without them,” she says. HOYO also helped with the down payment and financing. In return, Irma will donate several hours of community service, working with kids who have disabilities. Irma’s new status as homeowner seems to have boosted her self-confidence and her plans for the future. The privacy and security that go with homeownership allow her to focus on her family and her studies. “HOYO is such a good program,” she says. “I hope that more people will take advantage of what they have to offer.” JoAnna's Torta
For the Orozco family, baby JoAnna’s “torta” arrived before she did—but just barely. The family moved into its very own home in early February. They greeted JoAnna twelve days later. Without diminishing their infant daughter’s gift to them, Mario and Maxima Orozco say they could not have realized their dream of homeownership without assistance from the El Paso Home of Your Own program. Mario is unable to work due to back and neck injuries and a seizure disorder. Monthly disability benefits are the family’s only source of income. Their daily living expenses (JoAnna has an older brother and sister) combined with Mario’s medical expenses made it impossible to save enough money for a down payment—much less to qualify for a mortgage loan. Before they moved to their own home, the Orozcos rented a cramped and “very leaky” apartment. They learned about HOYO through a television news story and jumped at the chance to improve the family’s living conditions. HOYO provided funds to help with the down payment and helped the Orozco’s arrange a special, low-interest mortgage. In addition to the financial assistance, Mario says the training and information the HOYO staff provided throughout the process were invaluable—so much so that he and his wife wanted to find a special way to express their gratitude. And so, they named their new baby, JoAnna, after the HOYO staff member who helped them become proud homeowners. Keys to Happiness
“We were all crying,” says Angel. “We aren’t going to have to move anymore. We don’t have to live like nomads.” Moving is something the Cepedas are all too familiar with. In the past 18 years, Angel says the family has moved seven or eight times. They’ve lived in a camping trailer, a series of small apartments and, finally, a rented house. While they were always grateful for the shelter, the family grew increasingly frustrated with cramped spaces and intrusive landlords. Steady, full-time employment has eluded Angel, who has a vision impairment and chronic depression. His earnings and savings never provided quite enough for a down payment. And trying to keep up with a growing family’s needs pushed his credit to the limit. In El Paso’s Home of Your Own program, Angel found the answers to all of those problems. Through training and counseling, he was able to resolve his credit issues. Down payment assistance and a low-interest mortgage brought homeownership within his financial grasp. Owning their own home has brought about noticeable changes in his family, Angel says. His children, Laura, Angel and Gocelyn, are relieved to know they don’t have to move any more. Laura, the oldest at 14, is pleased that her prized posters can remain on the walls of her very own room for as long as she wants. “It’s a feeling that cannot be explained,” Angel says. “It’s just such a pleasure to be in our own home.” |
Gloria Muñoz always knew that some day she would own her own home.
Day three in her new home finds Irma Hines amidst a lot of unpacked boxes and without a working telephone.
In the Mexican culture, every newborn baby is believed to bring a special gift—“la torta.”
Angel and Norma Cepeda would not allow themselves to believe they really did own a home until the realtor handed over the house keys.