CHISPA and PG&E help family move into a new home for the holidays

MARINA, Calif. (KION) - A family of eight was on the brink of homelessness but got some help just in time for the holidays.

The family was living out of a garage and was about to be evicted, months before being able to move into their new home being developed at an affordable housing complex in Marina.

Irma Martinez and Alberto Sanchez said they work hard to support themselves and their six children.

And now they can settle into a new home after struggling to make ends meet while living out of a garage in Watsonville.

"We are happy, my kids were waiting for this day, they say they did not want to live there any longer, they say they wanted to come here," said Martinez

Martinez moved with her family from Mexico to Watsonville four years ago and now works in the fields.
She applied for housing at a new development at what was once part of the former base at Fort Ord.

Martinez had a one in 30 chance of getting accepted and beat those odds.

"Thanks to god we found this place and this place is good for my kids to be in a big space with three rooms, and before we were living in a garage where we did not fit," said Martinez.

But the odds still weren't in her family's favor even after being chosen.

Martinez says her landlord was going to take down the garage they were living in. Her family was faced with the possibility of homelessness before being able to move in.

Due to supply chain issues the move in date was delayed four months.

"One of the families was facing homelessness, if PG&E had not moved that quickly there was that risk," said Jeff Morgan, who is President of CHISPA.

Morgan said they quickly looked to speed up the process, contacting PG&E in September with concerns about the metering and permit issues.

After hearing about this, Teresa Alvarado who is the Vice President for PG&E's South Bay and Central Coast Region said they expedited the process so Martinez and her family can still have a roof over their head.

"Knowing that they're going to spend not only the holidays here, but years, years as a family that they have a safe place to be, a warm place to cook meals together, have privacy," Alvarado said.

Martinez is now looking forward to future celebrations and memories to be made in her new home.

"We are going to celebrate the new year here," said Martinez.

Morgan says he still thinks about the other 1,700 families that applied, and are handling the situation one at a time to move more families into housing units as soon as possible.