Congratulations to Susana and her family! This summer Susana’s offer on a house in Bay Point was accepted, her WANDA matching funds were wired to the lender, and she closed on her home in late August. She’ll move into her new home with her two sons in October.
Until a few years ago, WANDA mom Susana Jimenez worked as a property manager at an affordable housing development. Her remuneration included a three-bedroom apartment, which she shared with her two teenage boys. Once she left that job, she quickly learned that she had been shielded from the harsh realities of the Bay Area housing market. The Jimenez family relocated to a one-bedroom apartment and Susana found a position with the San Mateo County Department of Housing (DOH), where she currently works as a housing and resources counselor.
The DOH has been a key recruitment partner for WANDA, referring approximately 20% of current WANDA. Susana initially learned about WANDA in order to connect her clients to the program. She immediately recognized the value WANDA could bring in helping her achieve her own goals. Susana applied and began the program in March 2018.
Susana was a model WANDA participant, attending all of the scheduled seminars and making the maximum allowed savings deposits each month. She was able to reach the savings goal within one year. Susana then began pursuing home ownership. She first took an Introduction to Homeownership class through the San Francisco Housing Development Agency, referred to her by a fellow WANDA mom. Susana paid off her debt and raised her credit score significantly. Next, she got pre-approved for a home loan and spent months scouring the East Bay for a home. This summer Susana’s offer on a house in Bay Point was accepted, her WANDA matching funds were wired to the lender, and she closed on her home in late August. She’ll move in to her new home with her two sons in October.
Susana credits the WANDA program for opening her eyes to better ways to manage her money and helping her become an effective saver. Through her tenacity and resourcefulness, Susana was able to realize her dream of homeownership, and more importantly in her eye, of leaving something for her sons.Â