Stonegate Village is Home

Stonegate Village is Home

Posted on December 29, 2020

“Home isn’t where you’re from; it’s where you find light when all grows dark.”

― Pierce Brown

Amongst the chaos and uncertainty that this year brought, we reflect on the things in life that matter the most. For Nicole and Ashlyn, a brand new apartment at Stonegate Village in Patterson is what they are most thankful for.

Nicole, a kind-hearted free spirit, shares what it has been like to move into her new apartment. “It’s beautiful, the best part is having a place to call home,” says Nicole. “When I came back from Alabama in April, everything was shut down [because of the pandemic] and caused problems trying to find housing, so I was homeless.”

At that time, Nicole didn’t have a car and stayed at a shelter until she was able to get one. “As unsafe as it may sound, sleeping in my car was the safest place for me.” Nicole slept in her car for months before she learned about Self-Help Enterprises. “Living in my car was very difficult. I had a knife with me at all times. It was scary. The relief to finally have something over your head, I just feel so blessed,” smiles Nicole. “The stability and safety is the most important thing for me.”

Nicole has already made plans to volunteer at a nearby homeless shelter. “It’s my turn to give back.”

Ashlyn, a bright young woman, shares what it’s been like for her to move into her new apartment.  “I am completely in love with it,” says Ashlyn. “Our favorite part of living here is the playground; we know we will be spending lots of time there once things get better [with the pandemic].” Before moving to Stonegate Village with her 3-year-old son, Ashlyn was going through a very hard time and painful divorce. For some time, she too, was homeless. “Living here means the world to us. I have my own place; my son has space to play with his toys. I know he is going to grow so much just being here.”

While Ashlyn is focused on giving her son everything he needs, living at Stonegate Village has given Ashlyn the stability she needs to start focusing on other aspects of her life. She looks forward to one day returning to school. In the meantime, it is certain that Ashlyn and her son will have a cozier holiday season.

Stonegate Village is a two-phase project located in Patterson, California, a community in Stanislaus County with just over 22,000 people. The first phase features 66 affordable, energy efficient 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units. The transit-friendly community is equipped with a spacious outdoor open area, laundry hook-ups in units, a computer lab with Wi-Fi access on the entire site, and a solar PV energy system. Other features include free bus passes for residents, a partnership with Stanislaus Regional Transit and MOVE to conduct transit outreach and education.

Phase two is scheduled to be complete by February 28th, with tenants starting to move by March 1st.