From Uncertainty to Stability: Eric’s Journey Home
June 17, 2025
When single father Eric entered our Transitional Housing Program (THP) a year ago, he was searching for a fresh start. After losing his job, Eric faced a progression of challenges—financial instability, the loss of his apartment, and a year of couch surfing while on the 2-1-1 housing waitlist. Throughout this difficult period, his then 8-year-old son shuffled between his mother’s home and Eric’s uncertain living situations.
Everything began to change when Eric secured a new position as a retail service merchandiser and received a spot to live at THP. Determined to create a nurturing environment for his son, Eric embraced the program wholeheartedly.
When Eric received his housing voucher, the real challenge began: finding an affordable apartment. He met the criteria for an opening at one of the Homeless Solutions’ affordable housing properties but additional requirements on the apartment involved further paperwork. Eric’s perseverance through such a long process made him a familiar face in HSI Property Manager Jasmine Tirado’s office. Jasmine and her team worked diligently with Eric to make sure he would be able to secure his home and new beginning. As Jasmine says, “My job is to not only assist in attaining housing, but to give an opportunity at offering some hope for a restart in life.”
Today, after a full year at THP and months of waiting for his housing to be approved, Eric and his son are thriving in their own two-bedroom apartment. His son stays with him three to four days each week, and both are embracing their new life—from the nearby park perfect for playtime to the spaciousness of their home, and most importantly, the security of permanent housing.
This stability has inspired Eric to set new goals for himself. He’s working toward a management position at his current job while also exploring opportunities in other fields.
“My life was going downhill fast before I found THP and Homeless Solutions,” Eric shares. “Now, I’m back on track and able to provide and be present for my son. And that’s the most important thing to me.”
As we celebrated Father’s Day, we were thinking of Eric enjoying this special day with his son in their new home. To all the fathers among our supporters: we hope you had a wonderful Father’s Day! We appreciate your partnership in helping provide the ‘Hand UP’ that help parents like Eric build stable futures for their families.