Xavianna had to make herself homeless in order to transfer her housing assistance between counties.
For Xavianna, finding safety required a sacrifice most people can’t imagine: she had to choose to be homeless.
Living in an unsafe area in Monterey County, Xavianna knew she needed to leave for her own well-being. However, she found herself trapped in a bureaucratic catch-22. To get Section 8 approval for a new apartment, she couldn’t be currently housed in her old one. To make matters worse, regulations required a 30-day waiting period before she could move between counties.
“I had to make myself homeless to get approval to move,” Xavianna explains. “And that is on top of not being able to find a place to actually live until you’re approved.”
Starting in January, Xavianna began a grueling cycle of survival. She spent her nights sleeping in her car and her days parked outside the Contra Costa County Housing Authority, waiting to advocate for her case the moment the doors opened. The reality of life on the street was a constant battle against the elements.
“It was raining, and the winter was so cold this year,” she says. “I was just sick constantly. I used what money I had for a gym membership just so I could take a hot shower. I couldn’t cook in my car, so I was eating unhealthily and couldn’t save a dime.”
After months of persistence, the approval finally came, followed immediately by a new crisis. While Section 8 vouchers cover monthly rent, they do not cover move-in costs. Xavianna suddenly needed $2,400 for a security deposit, or the landlord would move on to the next person on the list.
A housing employee suggested she call the Contra Costa Crisis Center which connected her to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County (SVdP). Because Xavianna was still living in her car, her home visit took place in the quiet sanctuary of church at the local SVdP Conference. It was there she met a Vincentian named Dennis and his Vincentian home visit partner.
In the tradition of the Society, Dennis didn’t arrive as a social worker, but as a neighbor. He sat with her, listened to her story, and offered the compassion of a friend.
“He was just so sweet and you could tell he really cared,” Xavianna recalls. “He helped me feel calm, like I finally had people in the area who cared about me. Meeting with the Vincentians made me feel so much safer after being alone in my car for so long.”
During their time together, Xavianna also learned how her local SVdP Conference could help her with food to bridge the gap between starting work and getting paid while she got back on her feet.
The Home Visit is the heart of SVdP’s work. Rather than acting as social workers, Vincentians serve as neighbors, meeting people exactly where they are. For Xavianna, this meant meeting in church, where Dennis and his fellow Vincentian sat with her not just to provide aid, but to listen and offer the friendship of people who truly cared.
SVdP stepped in to cover the security deposit, helping Xavianna get off the street and into a home. Today, her life looks very different. She is a full-time caretaker for heart surgery patients, ensuring they stay on track with their medications.
“I’m just so thankful,” she says. “I don’t know if it was fate, or God or what, but when I was at my lowest and needed help most, the Vincentians were there to walk with me.”
