A Stable Home and a Promising Future for the Sandoval Family

A Stable Home and a Promising Future for the Sandoval Family

Posted on September 14, 2018

Meet the Sandoval Family: Stephanie and Jarrett Sandoval are new parents to a beautiful baby girl, Isabel. They are also new residents of the recently built, 44-unit affordable rental community — Sierra Village Apartments in Dinuba. Sierra Village is a highly energy efficient and transit-friendly project. Sustainable features include solar PV, water conservation measures, and a vanpool program in partnership with the California Vanpool Authority that will transport residents from Sierra Village and the surrounding area to and from work. The project’s solar panel system will offset the power used in the common area, residential loads, and community center, making Sierra Village a grid neutral Zero Net Energy project. This will result in reduced utility bills for residents and the property, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

For the Sandoval family, living in these apartments meant an opportunity for a better life. Previously, they struggled tremendously to find a stable home, jumping around between families and most recently, living in an emergency housing studio (provided by Community Youth Ministries in Reedley). Unfortunately, the small studio was a temporary arrangement. Stephanie and Jarrett received confirmation for their Sierra Village apartment only days before needing to vacate the studio. Had it not been for Sierra Village, the Sandoval family would have found themselves homeless. They moved into their new apartment immediately.

Jarrett currently works in Reedley and goes to school in Visalia, while Stephanie stays at home with their daughter. Jarrett is studying Agriculture Business and finds that his new home in Dinuba is perfectly centered between work and school. Thanks to the manageable rent costs, Jarrett is able to both provide for his family and continue to his education. Stephanie has dreams of her own and aspires to become a motivational speaker in the women empowerment arena. Both also dream about one day creating an emergency housing program of their own to help other families struggling to find a safe place to live.

“Self-Help Enterprises changed our life by giving us a chance. We really didn’t have a chance before. At the time, I was working two jobs and almost dropped out of school,” Jarrett said. “We don’t have to worry about getting kicked out. The affordable rents allow me to pay for the apartment and still provide everything that my wife and daughter need.”

The Sandoval family look forward to many happy years at Sierra Village. “Finding out that we got the apartment was the best news we’ve ever gotten,” said Stephanie.

For more information about our rental communities, visit our programs page.