Homeowner, Deeper Investment: A Neighbors Dream of Owning A Home

Valeria Sosa-Sandoval, back in 2019 receiving Solidarity’s Neighbor Of the Year award

“Throughout my childhood I dreamed of owning a home…for a long time I believed it would be impossible to own in Fullerton.”

For decades, Valeria Sosa-Sandoval didn’t believe it was even possible to own a home in Fullerton. Home prices, in the city that she grew up in, were so high. Her family had always rented and moving away from the community never seemed desirable.

Even as a teen growing up in Solidarity’s programs, Valeria understood the hidden value that her neighborhood had, while simultaneously recognizing that others outside of the community couldn’t see that same value. There is a vibrancy to the neighborhood - a sense of deep belonging and acceptance - that Garnet offered, and she knew she never wanted to stray too far.

“I love the Garnet community. Everything about this community feels like home. I wanted my neighbors, friends, and family members to know that I was not leaving them. Even though I was trying to purchase a home, I was not leaving them.”

After going to college, graduating law school, passing the bar, and landing a job as an attorney, Valeria found herself in a financially stable place to actually shop for a home.

Things were not always financially stable for her and her family. Reflecting back at her childhood, even with her parents working multiple jobs, Valeria could remember the stress and anxiety that came with financial insecurity especially as rent was due each month. She also saw how the pandemic amplified that same stress and anxiety in her neighbors and friends.

“Throughout this [pandemic] a lot of households lost their entire income, at least for a portion of the time. At the same time, as soon as the restrictions were lifted, the rent increases left a lot of my neighbors worried. I started to see two or more families living in a two bedroom apartment.”

In the fall of 2021, Valeria was able to purchase and move into a townhome on the southside of the Garnet neighborhood, hundreds of feet from where she grew up. Moving into her new home, a place that she owns, was so exciting for her, but Valeria never expected the impact it could have on the next generation of Garnet residents.

“My 12 year old niece came over to look at the new place and she said she did not know owning was a possibility. She said `I thought you had to move far away to own’.”

Valeria’s story sparked hope in a young girl’s eyes allowing her to expand her vision, renew previously distinguished dreams, and now has a mentor to show her the way. But not every neighbor has a “Valeria” to mentor them or access to jobs & job training to increase their standard of life. For many in the Garnet & Maple neighborhood, food and financial insecurity is a very real barrier impeding them from reaching their dreams.

Valeria goes on to share, “I hope my neighbors can gain access to the resources that are already in place. I would love to see my neighbors involved at a city level. I believe my neighbors are kind, loving, and caring, and if presented with the right opportunities they would be able to live out their purpose & potential.”