Photo by Emilio Cortez

Meet the Residents: How Brenda Found her Way Home 

Growing up, Brenda always dreamed of moving west and becoming an actress. She was thrilled when she found a way to get closer to her dream—transferring to a position in her company from back east and settling in the San Fernando Valley. While her acting career didn’t take off as she had hoped, she built a successful career working in the insurance industry for over 20 years.  

As she explains it, her childhood had a major impact on her career success: “It was instilled into me from a very young age that I always had to take care of myself first. Both in foster care and once I was adopted, I’ve always been good at taking care of Brenda. Even when I had boyfriends, I always took care of myself. So I always worked hard to be self-sufficient.” 

But after her retirement, the rising cost of living in the city forced her to move. In her new home and community, Brenda became depressed, and her self-sufficient skills kicked in, so she packed up and moved back to the place she knew best, the Valley. She thought moving back to the area she loved would help her mental health, but the only thing she could afford was an Extended Stay America Hotel. 

After two years living there her savings was drained. Faced with high housing costs and a fixed income, Brenda had no choice but to join the growing number of adults over aged 50 who are homeless. In fact, the number of people experiencing homelessness who are 65 or older is expected to more than double by 2030. 

She ended up couch-surfing with friends and got two part-time jobs to help pay rent, but she eventually started living in her car in the winter of 2024. 

Brenda knew she couldn’t stay in her car for long. The nights were cold, and the lack of circulation in her legs made sleeping difficult. She created a 211 account and began calling shelters, carefully reading through the listings, asking questions, trying to imagine herself in each place. But none of them felt right. 

She wanted to stay in the Valley, close to the neighborhoods she knew and the life she had built there. “Something inside me just kept saying, this isn’t the place,” she said. “So I kept looking.” 

That’s when she found The Willows, LA Family Housing’s interim housing site in Canoga Park. It took awhile for a spot to open, but once Brenda got there she quickly became a familiar presence. Staff remember her warm greetings each morning, her way of checking in on others, and her prayers in the evenings. She brought a sense of calm and connection, something that lingered in the building.  

During her time there she was assigned to two Housing Navigators, who helped her settle in and start the process of finding more permanent housing outside the Willows. “These two ladies guided me every step of the way. Keeping me updated on anything that arose that needed attention to. I can’t thank them enough,” said Brenda. 

So when she was approved to move into The Cielo, LA Family Housing’s new permanent supportive housing community in the northwest valley, the celebration came with a touch of sadness. By November, it was time for her next chapter and to say goodbye to a place that gave her a second chance. 

Looking back, Brenda speaks with deep gratitude. “I just want to say thank you,” she said. “For all the time, patience, and care you gave me. I’m here because of you. You helped me with my journey from ‘homeless to home.’”