Volume 1, Issue 5

The "One HUD" team - - "Being able to help a family living in a shelter or threatened by fire is what makes working at HUD personally satisfying."

HUD staff in San Diego filled the holidays with the traditional joys of giving to those in need, setting aside some special time for San Diego residents hit hard by recent misfortune.

CB Fellow Myrna Pascual helped the Kaimuloa family find a home.  On December 13, 1999, a deaf, single mother of five, Cynthia Kaimuloa, found herself and her  family suddenly on the street when the landlord terminated the apartment lease.   When the temporary homeless shelter didn't work out, the family van became the Kaimuloa's home.   A school counselor, learning of the family's plight, requested help and the North County Times newspaper published a feature story on Mrs. Kaimuloa's plight.  

HUD Senior Community Builder Charles J. "Jerry" Wilson, a North San Diego County (http://www.ncedc.org) resident, responded immediately, asking CB Fellow Myrna Pascual to help the family to find permanent housing.  After a number of phone calls with the school counselor, homeless social service providers, and the City of Oceanside Housing Department, Myrna was able to secure a Section 8 Family Unification voucher for the family for a four-bedroom apartment.  

In a follow-up news article, North County Times reporter Erin Massey credited HUD with supplying the much-needed perseverence, writing,  "(Pascual) spent the day calling around to local agencies to inquire about housing options for the Kaimuloas."   The story told of the family's good news in securing the Section 8 Family Unification Voucher.

HUD's holiday giving did not stop with Mrs. Kaimuloa and family, however.  A Christmas day fire in a HUD-assisted high-rise apartment building disrupted the holiday for more than 200 elderly and disabled individuals and families in San Diego's MidCity area.  The major fire killed one person and injured several others after it broke out on the high-rise's 10th floor. 

Senior Community Builder Wilson immediately engaged CB Fellow Pascual and HUD Multifamily Project Manager Donald Driggs, who contacted the management of the Cathedral Arms property.  Despite the holiday, Don made arrangements to be at the property the very next morning -- Sunday morning -- to inspect the property and the consequences of the fire.  As a result of quick action, restoration crews were on-site Sunday morning.

Management appreciated HUD's quick response, and the news media reported that lives were probably saved and injuries prevented because of the active disaster-preparedness program implemented by the management company.

Despite the inconvenience and being taken away from his family during the holidays, Don said he was happy to be able to be there to help.

"These are just a couple of examples of how HUD employees, like Don Driggs and Myrna Pascual, truly make a difference in the lives of our clients," said Senior Community Builder Wilson.