Daniela and her husband Reynaldo first heard of SGV Habitat when Daniela drove by a sign nearly 10 years ago. Each time she passed the banner, she wondered what it meant. It wasn’t until she visited the website that she realized Habitat’s mission aligned with her family’s needs.
In 2023, Daniela applied for the program, and much to her surprise, her family was approved. Now, their 18-year-old daughter Marianna and 22-year-old son Alejandro are looking forward to having a home where they can celebrate the holidays together.
“I’m looking forward to decorating for the holidays because we never got to do that before,” Marianna said.
Currently, the family lives in a cramped space with no room to host loved ones. Daniela was devastated that there was never enough room for her mother or her other son to stay with them. But that will soon change as they approach their move-in date at the end of the year. Marianna is already showing her mom pictures of what color she wants to paint her walls and where her vanity will go.
Their children are overjoyed that their parents will finally have a place to call their own. Alejandro believes his hardworking parents deserve nothing less. 
“In today’s economy, it’s difficult to afford a home, even if you work multiple jobs and long hours,” Alejandro said. “This is an opportunity for them to see the fruit of their labor.”
For Reynaldo and Daniela, the homeownership program has been life-changing—a chance for low-income families to achieve affordable homeownership. They had searched for properties nearby, but everything was far out of their price range. The only housing they could find that was even somewhat affordable was in Riverside or San Bernardino. They are deeply grateful that they can stay close to their jobs without leaving Los Angeles County.
“I hope more people will apply once the program opens,” Daniela said. “I tell families to keep trying, because you could qualify too.”
Soon, Reynaldo and Daniela’s dream of homeownership will be a reality. And in the process, they’re setting an example for their children—that one day, they can achieve the same dream.