Meet Anthonia—Resident Services Coordinator of Metro Villas
“Helping bridge gaps between residents and essential resources gets me excited.
Their limited English—which is always a hindrance to accessing resources and opportunities—is less of a problem when they have help. It’s humbling for me, being able to help make these connections.”
We’ve spent a lot of time recently as a team talking about our ‘why’—why do we do this work, why do we love City Heights, and why do we keep working toward our mission of enhancing the quality of life in City Heights?
For Anthonia, our Resident Services Coordinator at Metro Villas Apartments, it comes down to helping immigrants build a new life here, just like she has. The Resident Services and Housing Management teams are some of the most exceptional people we have on staff! Here are a few victories Anthonia celebrated with her residents last year:
Readers in the Heights Program. This literacy effort took place last August. The aim was to help children continue reading through the summer so they could retain what they learned at the previous school year, not falling behind.
Hiking with Sierra Club members. The value of hikes, camping, beach trips, and other forays into nature for urban youth can’t be overstated, and the children especially enjoyed the ice cream treat after the hike!
Rental assistance to residents via San Diego County/San Diego Housing Commission. Our ongoing Eviction Prevention efforts (stay tuned to see more about this in the coming weeks) are directly related to our housing efforts, and it’s exciting to see struggling residents stay housed and get back on their feet. This happens relationally, first and foremost, and Anthonia and the Resident Services team are exceptional at building those relationships rooted in trust and practical care.
Resident victories! One resident transitioned out of affordable housing, several got new jobs/started businesses, and one was reinstated back to section 8 status, a major win for that household!
Thank you to Asha, Anthonia, and the whole Resident Services team for the way they go above and beyond in support of our beautiful residents!