Our letter to the President

Dear President Obama,

Please take action to end America’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis. We need:
  • More section 8 vouchers immediately
  • Build public housing to meet the need
  • Full funding of the National Housing Trust Fund
  • Stop foreclosures

Friday, April 10, 2009

Edna Jackson & Azmera, San Jose


The homeless crisis in our city is an epidemic. My church, Golden Altar Ministries, goes out and clothes and feeds the homeless. There are whole families in multitudes living under bridges, freeways, and in parks or along the rivers. It is very disappointing that right here in Silicon Valley, one of the nation's wealthiest areas, that there are not enough provisions to go around or enough people who care.

People claim to believe in Jesus, or whoever their higher power is, but they are not willing and loving enough to put in the work and the few dollars to do the will of God, to share and care for needy brothers and sisters in Christ.

As big as this valley is, we do not have enough shelters, and then they have the nerve to charge the homeless rent. If you cannot pay they throw you out. I know, I have been homeless before, so this is not hearsay. Thanks!

Patricia Sprague, Sunnyvale, CA

Yuonzhen Ruom, San Jose

Artemio Hernandez, San Jose


Randi Stephenson, San Jose

Please help all of our American families. We need YOUR help!

Mark Teixeira, San Jose

Andrea Strauss, Campbell, CA


Amalia Cerda, San Jose

Please help all the families with children who are in need or homeless.

Maria Graciela Canales Hernandez & Vanessa & Rigoberto Jr., San Jose


Eva Heraz, San Jose

Eric Elizondo, San Jose

We are in a desperate housing need for the homeless and for section 8 vouchers for families that cannot afford the rent. If you can really help us there would be fewer homeless families out there.

Yuliana Hernandez, San Jose


Necesitamos mas ayuda para construir apartamentos para los de bajos ingresos. Ya que la renta es muy cara en California. Y mas ayuda para los hispanos. Confiamos en usted Senor Obama. Gracias!

Crystal Lopez, San Jose

Dear President Obama,

I have been on the waiting list for the past seven years. I am anxiously waiting for the time my number will be called. I believe there should be more options on housing for the people on cash aid assistance who need general help. Also, I think those who do not know must be advised. Some people who have struggled do not even know about housing assistance or if they qualify. Please take this letter into consideration for all Americans.

Maria Cerda, San Jose

Please help the homeless.

Michael Young, San Jose


President Obama,

I am a volunteer at Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose, California. I see clients every day who have a desperate need for clean, safe housing. Please direct additional resources to HUD to provide more housing assistance to those in need. Thank you!

Claudia Alvarez, San Jose

Bisrat Kileyohannes, San Jose

Maria Rodriguez, San Jose


Necesitamos de urgencia unas casas o apartamentos de bajos ingresos, por favor, y ayuda para estudiantes de bajos ingresos. Que Dios lo bendiga, Senor Presidente.

Monica Amador, San Jose

Chris C. Rath, San Jose

Picture the blue sky above you. That's not a pretty sight when it is your living room ceiling.

Silvia Ruiz, San Jose


Rosalie Cune, San Jose

We need affordable housing. The cost of living is insane. I just want me and my daughter to have a stable life where we can get ahead. I don't want to live paycheck to paycheck.

Martin Salto, San Jose

I would like the opportunity to get a house. I lost two houses in 2007.

Xochitl Parra Ruiz, Isabel Morales, & Maria Luz Cortez, San Jose


Ayuda para la gente mas necesitada.

Considere a la gente latina por trabajos y viviendas.

Dios le bendiga. Gracias.

Michele Bradshaw, San Jose

I believe that we need all the money we can get for the homeless. Because with the economy like it is now, more people are becoming homeless. We always help other countries, but we need to concentrate more on our own first. We need to find homes and feed our own families first before we worry about antone else.

Robert Leyva, San Jose


Carla Olmos, San Jose

They need to find a way to be more accomodating for people who are losing their homes. It is not completely their fault. If they are willing to sell it for a lower price, I do not understand why they can't lower the payment a tad for the person who already owns it. It would be greatly appreciated if you could help with this. Thanks for your time!

Mallory Owens, San Jose

Lorena Reyes, San Jose


Senor Presidente,

Yo le suplico en nombre de la comunidad de Sagrado Corazon, considere muy en serio construir casas de bajos ingresos par sus ciudadanos.

De antemano mil gracias!

Zebedee Butler, San Jose

I do believe if there were more section 8 vouchers, more people would have more housing that is affordable for them. Most people with low income do not receive vouchers, but if they did, we would have more people in homes and not on the streets. That would allow them to have a roof over their head and save money to move their family into better homes.

Jordan Mose, San Jose


U R right - it is time for a CHANGE!!

Michael Pedroza, Milpitas, CA

I need affordable housing and also financial aid to finish school. Please help - thank you.

Flora F. Marron, San Jose


La renta esta muy cara. Necesitamos ayuda con apartamentos de bajos ingresos. Porque no alcanza para comer. O pagas renta o comes.

Noreen Day, San Jose

Mr. President,

I am a homeless female. I do hope you will be able to help the housing problem in the California area. We need it so bad. Jobs are hard to get and hard to keep. Housing is so overpriced. So many of us just cannot afford to rent. I personally would like to go to school, but I can't even afford that. Please do whatever you can to stop the greed. Thank you.

Candi Ramirez & Lucas, San Jose


Senor Presidente,

Primero deseo que Dios le bendiga, que en el tiemp de su gobierno por este pais sea exitoso.

Acuerdese de la gente que mas lo necesita , personas como yo y tanta mas. Escuche la voz de la gente que espera en usted que haga un gran cambio.

Nosotros como comunidad Latina con hijos nacido en este pais ocupamos un permiso o una solucion para poder ir a nuestro pais a ver nuestra familia. Tengo 10 anos de no ir a verlos.

Jason De Lima, San Jose

Juan Carrasco, San Jose


Por favor ayude a las familias que no las separen.

Fausta Bergara, San Jose

Por favor, ayude a las personas de bajos ingresos.

Mary Ellen McCarthy, San Jose


I lost my job, my home, and my mother, but I am blessed to have my husband and my dog. I am 45 and my children are grown. I have ALWAYS worked and this is my first time being homeless.

Rosa Garcia, San Jose

La renta esta muy cara. No hay dinero ni trabajo.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Yuliana Altamirano, Bella, & Lorita, San Jose


We believe every person should feel like their housing needs will be provided for, and not feel worthless and afraid to ask.

Yuliana Altamirano & Ricky Ramirez

Barabara Bouman, San Jose

Sally Ann Mestas, San Jose


Dear Mr. President,

I write you in regard to the people that are down and out like myself. I have been here all my life but I cannot receive food stamps or Medicare because of my age. I am 64 years of age and I am sick, so in other words I really need help. My husband and my mom just passed away and my husband and I were together for 25 years. I am depressed and sick all the time. Please get me some Medicare help.

Please help, Mr. Obama. I really have faith in God and also in you. I hear you talk and it sounds like you are fair. I pray every day and night. God bless you.

Obdulia Cruz, San Jose

Michael and Sandra Bradford, San Jose


We lost our own house and found ourselves and our family homeless, and needing some help with the housing problem. Change is what we voted for. Amen and God bless America.

Michelle Costa, San Jose

I need help with a place to live. I am physically and emotionally disabled. I do not make enough money from General Assistance to rent a room. I have stayed in all the shelters for the last three years. Thank you.

Elizabeth Hernandez, Lizette Giardea, & Jesus & Maribel


Que haga mejores medios para las casas y rentas.

Lydia Paz, San Jose

Gregorio Villa, San Jose


Maria Montoya, San Jose

Louise Auerhahn, San Jose


Everyone needs and deserves a secure place to call home.

Rick Martinez, San Jose

We need more housing.

Maria Gonzalez, San Jose


Estimado Senor Presidente,

Soy una emigrante Costaricense que estoy en su querido pais. He trabajado muy duro para poder darle estudios a mis dos hijas. He trabajado dia y noche durmiendo apenas dos horas, porque tambien voy a la escuela para aprender ingles. El esfuerzo ha sido grande, pero hace dos anos perdi mi casa y ahora perdi mi trabajo tambien. Mi futuro es incierto. Gracias de antemano por prestar atencion a mi carta.

Peggy Trople, San Jose

You are wonderful.

Justin Bracaen, San Jose


Could you please help with the homeless and housing.

Blanca S. Guillermina, San Jose

Ayuda a fondar las casas de bajos ingresos.

Lulu Cerda, San Jose


Help with more housing vouchers please.

Eva Cuevas, Santa Clara, CA

Omar Perkins & Christine De Haro, San Jose


Richard Ford, San Jose

Help us make our way. Thank you.

Regina Aguirre, San Jose


Please help the many needy families who are honest and need help with housing and jobs, just to survive with their families in their daily lives and situations. Please hear how we cry out to you every day.

Oscar Mena, San Jose

Los Hispanos creemos en usted. Yo personalmente vote por usted. Ayudenos que mucho le necesitamos. Que Dios lo bendiga, Senor Presidente. Gracias.

Alecia Elbert, San Jose


Could you please help me with housing because I am homeless. I am living from couch to car, and one day I would like to have my own place.

Ines Rojas, San Jose

Daniel R. Sauvaine, San Jose


Karen Gallardo, San Jose

Yo pienso que el gobierno tiene obligacion de ayudar a todos los ciudadanos que estan en crisis y necesidad en este momento de crisis economica.

Kim Ly Nguyen, San Jose

Brenda Alvarez & Roberto, San Jose


Rosemarie A. Leyva, San Jose


We need more vouchers and housing.

James H. Fincher Jr., San Jose

David Shumala, San Jose


We need better housing because people like me are having problems. I lost my father on December 31, 2008. He had a heart attack. Now my family is having a lot of problems. My mom has three children, so if you could help us it would be great. Thanks.

Lizette Giardea, San Jose

We need to be able to get cheaper homes.

Mona Lee Damaso, San Jose


Please help me find more job opportunities. And please come visit us in California. God bless you.

Bessie Carter, San Jose

Mr. Obama,

I need a home. I live on the street or in jail or prison. I am 47 years old and I feel like life is over for me. Can you help? I do get SSI, but it is not enough for a home so I can stay out of jail and off the street. Thank you.

Carole Gonsalves, San Jose


Rogelio Marquez, San Jose


Monica Flores & Michelle Wall, San Jose


Things are tight right now, and we need more jobs to help with all our bills. Without money we can't pay our bills or our rent.

We are in a treatment program at a place called Pathways. It is scary to leave the program because we don't know if we will be able to get jobs or housing. Thank you for hearing us.

Maria Santana, San Jose

Eduardo Alchino, San Jose


Necesitamos trabajos y necesidades, una reforma migratoria, y que ayude la gente necesitada.

Maria Granados, San Jose

I am a 26 year-old single mother of five children and in need of housing and jobs. Most of the time I get put down because my children are part African-American and I am Hispanic. Please help us with section 8 housing and work. God bless you, and we are very happy to have you as our president. God bless America.

Joe Bailey, San Jose

My last apartment was a studio on East St. James Street. I was paying as much for it as I paid for a 15-room house on a hill with a 360 degree view twenty years ago.

Norma Ibanez & Brenda & Alicia, San Jose


Senor Presidente,

Nosotros las madres solteras necesitamos que nos ayude con nuestras viviendas y seguros medicos.

Refugio Aldemen, San Jose

Dear President Obama,

I am writing you this letter concerning the need to help stimulate the economy. There is a great need for public assistance with housing, and there should be more section 8 vouchers to help soldiers and veterans get off the streets, and help them from becoming homeless in the first place. We also need help for those falling into debt and foreclosure. Pleasae help. I am one of your citizens.

Catherine Garrison, San Jose


In the times we are in, many of the American people are in DIRE need of assistance. I am just one voice in our country that is joined by thousands. This situation needs to be addressed for the well-being of myself, my family, and my fellow Americans.

Armando Morelos, San Jose

Dear President,
You promised that you would legalize immigrants that have been in this country a long time. We need your help. There are many of us who pay taxes if you knew who we were. I campaigned for you even though I could not vote for you. Please help us. Thanks.

Edith Centeno & Ciara, San Jose


Jackie Fanning, San Jose

This city is in dire need of support for housing the homeless.

Maria E. Aguirre, San Jose


Ricardo Lopez, San Jose


I have an idea for the housing crisis. All these people like me are paying high prices for apartments. I pay $1584 a month for a three-bedroom apartment. Some house payments are not even close to this, or just a little more. I think all these foreclosed or near-foreclosed homes should be sold to people like me with no downpayment. Otherwise they are just sitting there collecting dust and the banks are not collecting any income.

I have a dream to someday own my own house. If they would make the properties rent-to-own, the banks would get a lot of money and the economy in California and everywhere else would get better.

Hopefully you can think about this idea. I have a lot more faith in you than in the past president.

Isabel Ramos & Maria, San Jose


Ruth Guzman, San Jose

Yvetta Vancura, San Jose


Help disabled people and people on SSI first. Then families with kids. Then single and divorced people.

Miriam Sanchez, San Jose

Please help people in personal misfortune, not only people without houses, but also people that have houses but cannot afford it because they have lost their jobs. Please CREATE MORE JOBS. The United States of America should again be the country that it always was before. Regards.

Lorenzo Valdez, San Jose


Can you provide more section 8 housing and low-income housing, because a lot of people are homeless and need help. We also need SSI and job training to be available. Please help disabled people who can't work because of mental problems and special education.

Teresa Dillard, San Jose

Instead of letting developers come out here to the Bay Area and take what little land we have left to build expensive homes, that people cannot afford to buy in this recession, please help the people that were born here or lived here a long time. Please do not let the American Dream disappear in our lives as well as our children's lives.

Nora Elizabeth Pena Diaz & Nayeli, San Jose


Cynthia Hernandez, San Jose

Please! I am a single mother!

John E. Defreitas, San Jose


I think we should have more section 8 so people could progress more, instead of becoming homeless. Then a lot of them turn to drugs and alcohol. With more help from you, Mr. President, we would have a better chance in life and in society. We thank you for helping us.

Teresa Henriquez, San Jose


I am willing to work any position, especially babysitter and housekeeper.

Blanca Navarette, San Jose


Por favor de ayudarnos en nuestra situacion de vivienda. Soy madre de tres hijos y no tengo suficiente dinero para pagar mi renta.

Nestor Buendia, San Jose

I think that if the families in need were given section 8 vouchers, it would help the economy by having those people spend money, and not have all their money go to rent.

Monica Zenk, San Jose


Please give me housing for my friends.