The Messina Family Finds Hope
In late 2018, the Messina family welcomed their fourth family member, a beautiful baby boy named Keegan. The home they had owned for the past decade, located in a rural neighborhood in Northern California, had been the home where Kim and Matt planned to raise their two children. Just three weeks after Keegan arrived the Paradise Camp fire tragically tore apart their beloved community forever changing their lives.
“On November 8th, my husband noticed the smoke plume from our high elevation standpoint on his morning walk with the dogs. He woke me and said something was wrong. We waited and watched as cars escaped up the hill from Paradise and Magalia. We lost power, landline, cell reception, and the ability to know outside information. We packed both cars with babies, dogs, and only a suitcase full of supplies for 2 days, assuming power would be restored by then and the fire contained.”
The Paradise Camp fire burned for more than two weeks. It is the deadliest wildfire in California’s history sadly killing 85 people, burning a total of 153,336 acres and destroying 18,800 structures. Their hometown was completely wrecked and unrecognizable. All they could see was devastation – no businesses, no safe water, no school. Nothing was the same. Matt and Kim decided they had to go, for the sake of their family’s future well-being. They moved, sight unseen, into an apartment in Ventura. Having been married on the shores of Mandalay Bay in Oxnard and visiting Ventura’s beaches growing up, they were no strangers to Ventura County. They loved the sense of community and knew this was where they wanted to raise their kids. Kim and Matt knew they wanted to pursue homeownership and had heard that VCCDC was the best place to start.
“Finding VCCDC gave us hope for a new life in Ventura.”
After over a year of working with VCCDC Homeownership Specialists and building financial stability, Kim and Matt received bad news. In June 2020, their family was given 60 days to move out of their rental due to a change in ownership.
“It was a scary day. I called Alex at VCCDC straight away and he found us $20,000 in down payment assistance. Three months later, we closed on our home here in Ventura.”
Now, Kimberly and Matthew look back on their homeownership journey with immense pride.
“It wasn’t always easy. At times I didn’t think we could do it and we sacrificed a lot to get here, but now, thanks to the life-changing work of VCCDC, our children have a chance at permanency and stability.”
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