San Antonians Get Rewarded For Housing Self Sufficiency

*This article was written by Jim Lefko and aired on News 4 San Antonio*

SAN ANTONIO – Four local women were recognized today for achieving housing self sufficiency.

They’ve spent the past five years working with the Housing Authority of Bexar County and now are getting anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000 to help with housing down payments.

“We are so excited. It’s a journey for five years and we are so proud of those families that worked really hard to make that graduation happen,” says Neldys Ortiz, interim executive director of the Housing Authority.

Sara Goode was one of the graduates who was honored today.

“It means that we can finally get off Section 8 housing and have something to call our own,” says the mother of five.

The participants accumulated money in an escrow account as their income increased over time.

“It does help you save so that way you can have your own home,” Goode says.

Today they received graduation certificates as well as the much appreciated checks.

“It’s something that I worked in for 5 years. It’s going to help me buy a home. Down payment for a home,” Goode says. “Probably stay on my side of town on the Southside and it will make my kids very happy because they’ll have a home to call their own.”