VENTURA COUNTY — “I sat on the bench, waiting for the bus to arrive, eating my cold lunch. ‘What am I doing?’ I asked myself. I didn’t know if this was going to work. ‘Am I wasting my time?’” This was how Mrs. Juana Montelongo described her journey back home after her first pre-purchase counseling appointment at Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC).
Mrs. Montelongo had struggled for many years to reach her goal of homeownership. She was sixty four, working in a lemon packing factory for fourteen years. In 2013, her husband suffered a stroke that left them with extensive medical debt. Not only were Mr. and Mrs. Montelongo forced to declare bankruptcy due to the overwhelming expenses, but Mrs. Montelongo became the head of household. Her husband recovered, but was never able to return to work. Mrs. Montelongo had attempted to purchase a home a few years ago, but for more than one personal reason, was never able to move past the pre-approval stage. She finally told herself she was going to give it one more shot. Mrs. Montelongo figured she had nothing to lose. She made the long journey that required a brief walk to a bus stop, three bus transfers and another brief walk, but she made it through the doors. While at VCCDC she worked with certified Homeownership Specialist, Gabriela Muñoz, who helped her build her credit, develop a savings plan and reduce her debt in order to make this dream a reality. In the beginning, Mrs. Montelongo came in by herself in order to keep this whole process a secret from her family until she knew that there was viable hope. Once she knew that traction was building, she told her family about what she had been doing. They couldn’t believe it. Mrs. Montelongo says, “this whole journey was so that once my husband and I die, my children could continue to have a home. I don’t want to one day leave this world worried about where they would end up.” Over the course of a year Mrs. Montelongo was able to increase her FICO scores, save more than $7,000 and reduce debt by close to $16,000. She was also eligible for VCCDC’s down payment assistance and used it towards the purchase of the family’s first home. As advice to future homebuyers also pursuing the dream of homeownership, she says, “never give up… with a little perseverance and confidence you can also achieve this dream.”
Through events like its upcoming “5th Annual Homeownership Fair: My House My Home”, VCCDC continues to help working families, like the Montelongos, achieve the dream of homeownership despite rising home prices. The “My House, My Home” event is taking place on Saturday, June 24th from 11am to 3pm at the Centerpoint Mall located at 2655 Saviers Road in Oxnard. The event will offer timely information and guidance for potential homebuyers and current homeowners. The community fair is held in collaboration with City National Bank and the City of Oxnard Affordable Housing & Rehabilitation Division in celebration of National Homeownership Month. It is a free event open to the public and will include: resource booths with information from mortgage lenders, realtors, local nonprofit agencies and government agencies, including representatives from the California
Department of Business Oversight. The event is a family friendly event and it will include giveaways, kids’ activities, and music.
In addition, the event’s key note speaker will be John Gamboa, President of California Community Builders, a non-profit developer concentrating in developing sustainable homes for low-income families in the Central Valley. A considerable percentage of the over $2.4 trillion in community reinvestment agreements from the nation’s leading financial institutions, which Mr. Gamboa has led and helped negotiate, have been tailored towards minority business development, affordable housing programs and innovative first-time homebuyer programs for immigrants. Other guest speakers will include City of Oxnard Mayor, Tim Flynn, City of Oxnard Mayor Pro Tem, Carmen Ramírez, Esq., and Ventura County Supervisor John Zaragoza.
VCCDC’s 5th Annual Home Ownership Fair is made possible with the generous support of the following partners: City National Bank (Lead Sponsor) California Bank & Trust, California United, Union Bank, US Bank, Wells Fargo, (Éxito/Success Sponsors), Bank of America, Boston Private, Rabobank (Esperanza/Hope Sponsors), and Citi Bank, MJP Technologies, and Schneiders and Associates (Sueño/Dream Sponsors). For more information about the Fair or for interviews, please contact Keily Victoria at (805) 273-7808.
About VCCDC: Since it was founded in 2001 as a local non-profit organization, VCCDC has worked to increase homeownership and economic stability in underserved communities of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. VCCDC is dedicated to ensuring that homebuyers are prepared for homeownership with the support of certified professionals who provide education and guidance, assisting with planning and problem solving. All VCCDC staff is bilingual, proudly serving the community. VCCDC accomplishes its work in partnership with other community organizations, and is financially supported by private and public funds. Visit us at www.vccdc.org and www.facebook.com/vccdc