Meet Krystal

Krystal first heard about Casa de Carmen from a navigator at the Mercy House shelter, back when the building was still going up in Oxnard. “It felt like an open door when I needed it the most,” she says. She moved in that November and was reunified with her son. “It was one of the best things that could have happened.”

She had been at the shelter a little over a year. Before that she was homeless and separated from her children, and she left that situation looking for a fresh start and a safe place to rebuild.

What she noticed first was the quiet. “My favorite part is the peace. After being homeless, having a safe and stable place where my child and I can rest means everything. It truly feels like home.”

The peace made room for everything else. The apartment has given her the chance to rebuild and to heal, Krystal says, and to be present for her son in a way she couldn’t be before. It has also made her feel less alone—a real community, where people understand and support each other. She takes part in community meetings and case management, has held a Bible study on site, and joins what the building offers—the visiting wellness center, monthly activities, and food share. What has mattered most is having people who check in.

Housing she can afford is what holds all of it together. “Without affordable housing, I would still be struggling and possibly homeless. I wouldn’t have the stability I need to care for my child or move forward in life.”

What comes next, for Krystal, is her son—growing stronger, building him a stable and loving future. “I want to keep moving forward and never go back to where I was.”