SACRAMENTO COUNTY THROUGH THE REALITY OF A GROWING NUMBER OF SENIOR CITIZENS STRUGGLING TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> I’M JUST GOING TO GUESS THAT IT’S PRETTY MUCH DONE.
VICKI: IRENE SOTELO IS SAVORING A FRESH START.
>> I HAVEN’T HAD ONE IN A LONG TIME.
I’VE SEEN THEM AS HIGH AS $5 EACH.
VICKI: LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE WHILE ACCEPTING SOME REALITIES RELUCTANTLY.
>> I’LL BE 70-YEARS-OLD.
I CAN WAIT FOREVER FOR THAT.
VICKI: BUT WITH AGE COMES NOSTALGIA, IRENE FONDLY REMEMBERING FEELINGS OF COMFORT AND SECURITY.
I HAD A NICE APARTMENT, ONE BEDROOM IN CARMICHAEL, I’VE ALWAYS I’VE BEEN CARMICHAEL.
HAD MY TWO LITTLE DOGS I H -- LITTLE DOGS.
I HAD COMCAST.
VICKI: BUT THE PAST HANDFUL OF YEARS FOR THE 69-YEAR-OLD HAVE BEEN BUMPY AT BEST.
>> IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN A DOCTOR BOTCHED THE SURGERY.
VICKI: A SAGA OF COMPLICATIONS FROM A FAILED INTESTINAL SURGERY , ULTIMATELY ENDING A CHAPTER OF FINANCIAL STABILITY.
>> I WAS EVICTED FROM MY APARTMENT BECAUSE MY IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE CARE WORKER STOLE MY MONEY.
AND I COULDN’T MAKE IT UP FAST ENOUGH AND I WAS EVICTED.
VICKI: IRENE FINDING HERSELF WITH FEW AFFORDABLE OPTIONS.
>> I WAS GOING TO SLEEP IN MY CAR.
I HAD NO PLACE TO GO AND IT’S NOT AS EASY FOR ME TO LIVE IN MY CAR AS IT WOULD BE FOR OTHER PEOPLE, BECAUSE I HAVE TO CHANGE MY BANDAGE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A DAY.
VICK ALONE, THE 69-YEAR-OLD FOUND HERSELF IN AN UNTHINKABL SITUATION, LIVING AT A HOMELESS SHELTER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE.
>> IT WAS LIKE GOING TO A DIFFERENT PLANET.
IT WAS REALLY HARD.
VICKI: IRENE’S CONFLUENCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES, TRAUMATIC.
>> I WOULD WALK DOWN THE STREET WISHING I WAS DEAD.
VICKI: BUT ALSO A SYMPTOM OF A BIGGER CRISIS.
>> YOU GET TO THE MY AGE A NOBODY WANTS TO GIVE YOU A JOB.
VICKI: SENIORS WHO ARE JUST ON FINANCIAL CATASTROPHE AWAY FROM THE STREETS.
>> WE’RE TOO OLD TO BE IN THIS SITUATION.
WE’RE NOT YOUNG ANYMORE.
VICKI: BUT IRENE IS NOW PART OF A VULNERABLE POPULATION BENEFITTING FROM A NEW SOLUTION.
>> IF YOU JUST TURNED IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT VICKI: THIS SPRING, SACRAMENTO SELF-HELP HOUSING LAUNCHING A COUNTY PROGRAM, FOCUSING ON HOMES INSTEAD OF SHELTER
>> THESE FOLKS ARE NOT PAYING ANY RENT, THEY DON’T PAY ANY ANY FEES, SO THAT ANY INCOME THEY HAVE, THEY’RE ABLE TO SAVE DURING THE TIME THAT THEY’RE WITH US.
VICKI: IRENE IS JUST ONE OF NEARLY 50 RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES CURRENTLY SHARING COUNTY-MANAGED RENTAL HOMES, EACH WITH THEIR OWN STORY.
A 10 MINUTE DRIVE AWAY IN ANOTHER HOME, WE MEET 55-YEAR-OLD CHANA SMITH, SHE LOST HER CAREER AND SAVINGS TO ADDICTION.
>> HE INTRODUCED ME TO CRYSTAL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST THE DESIRE TO GO TO WORK.
VICKI: HER BOYFRIEND, 42-YEAR-OLD BENJAMIN DODGE, LAID OFF FROM A JOB THAT NEVER PAID THE RENT.
>> EVEN WHILE I WAS WORKING I WAS HOMELESS, BECAUSE I DIDN’T HAVE THAT MANY HOURS AND RENT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO AFFORD.
VICKI: AND 59-YEAR-OLD PAMELA POOLE WHO FOUND HERSELF SLEEPING ON THE SIDE OF A CHURCH AFTER BECOMING A WIDOW.
>> I LOST TRACK OF TIME WHEN MY HUSBAND DIED IN 2011.
THEN I LOST TRACK OF TIME.
VICKI: TARGETING THOSE FACING THE HIGHEST BARRIERS TO HOUSING , WHICH MEANS REGARDLESS OF EVICTIONS.
>> ONCE YO AFFECTED, -- YOU ARE AFFECTED, -- YOU’RE EVICTED, YOU JUST CAN’T GET A PLACE.
THEY JUST WON’T RENT TO YOU.
VICKI: ACCEPTING THOSE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
>> I LOVE THIS HOUSE.
IT HAS GOOD ENERGY IN IT.
VICKI: AND EVEN TAKING IN COUPLES AND PETS >> THEY JUST SIMPLY NEED TO BE ABLE, AND WILLING, TO GIVE IT A TRY.
TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR HOMELESSNESS.
VICKI: SEVERAL RESIDENTS SHARE A HOUSE AND BEDROOMS WITH SUPERVISION.
>> WE’VE GOT A HOUSE LEADER IN HERE SO EACH ONE OF OUR HOUSES HAS ONE OF OUR STAFF LIVING HERE FULL TIME.
VICKI: WHILE A CASEWORKER VISITS ONE-ON-ONE WITH EACH ROOMMMATE TO GET THEIR LIFE BACK ON TRACK.
>> SHE WENT WITH ME TO MY DOCTOR’S VISITS.
SHE TAKES US TO THE PHARMACY.
SHE’S REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
VICKI: ALL FREE OF CHARGE AS LONG AS THEY MAKE HEALTHY STRIDES.
>> I DON’T WANT TO JUST SETTLE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY OR DISABILITY.
I WANT TO GET A JO >> I DON’T WANT TO BE HOMELESS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
I’VE GOT GRANDKIDS AND I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME VISIT ME.
VICKI: SO FAR, SACRAMENTO COUNTY IS FUNDING 10 RENTAL PROPERTIES AND STILL LOOKING TO LEASE MORE.
>> SOME PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE HESITANT TO LET US RENT THEIR ROOMS, BECAUSE THEY’RE THINKING NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE.
BUT THEY’RE SO RESPECTFUL THAT THESE HOUSES ARE CLEANER THAN MY HOUSE.
>> I’M THE HOUSEKEEPER.
THAT’S THE REASON WHY THIS HOUSE LOOKS SO FABULOUS.
VICKI: AS FOR IRENE.
>> I’VE GOT MY SEWING MACHINE DOWN THERE THAT I JUST BOUGHT.
VICKI: SHE IS INVESTING IN THE SKILL OF HER HANDS.
>> I GOT SOME GOOD SALES.
THIS IS HIS SHIRT.
THIS IS THE PATTER VICKI: STARTING A SMALL BUSINESSES AS A SEAMSTRESS.
>> I THINK THESE ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY GOOD.
THEY SHOULD SELL VICKI: WITH THE GOAL OF REGAINING FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE.
>> I WANT TO STAY HERE AS LONG AS I CAN TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THE COUPLE ACRES.
IF I CAN’T AFFORD TO BUY A MOBILE HOME, THEN I WILL MOVE INTO THE TRAVEL TRAILER.
VICK AND IN TURN, GRABBING HOLD OF NEWFOUND OPTIMISM AND STABILITY.