National Housing Reps Examine the Coachella Valley
The passengers unboarding the chartered bus came from near and far to spend time touring homes in the desert. Not just any homes, but affordable homes, such as the Desert Gardens apartment complex. Built in 1998, it is primarily for active and retired farmworkers.
“It’s nice and quiet. That’s what I like,” said Isabelm Garcia, 73.
Garcia says he was lucky to have found a place that caters to the farmworking population because they cannot afford much.
“By the time we get our social security, we cannot afford more than we are supposed to pay, you know?” he said.
Garcia’s story is the type of stories these visitors from the National Housing Assistance Council want to hear. So, whenever tough decisions have to be made, they can channel these field trips for inspiration.
“I’ve never been to any facility like this,” said Theresa Singleton, from Washington, D.C., “that provides senior services and youth services in the same facility.”
Later in the afternoon, the group toured Duroville at the Torres Martinez Indian reservation. Many of them were unfamiliar with Duroville’s history, but they said they would not be surprised by what they find there because they have seen it before.
“We had one incident in Wisconsin,” said Pedro Rodriguez, a council member for 25 years, “where they lit a barbecue pit inside the trailer. They died overnight.”
Rodriguez said seeing deplorable conditions firsthand will steer the national council to make things better for rural people. They will give them the tools to find better housing without stretching their pockets.
