The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
On March 11, I lost everything in a fire. My apartment at The Hudson in the Shearer Hills/Ridgeview neighborhood, which I had called home since last year, was destroyed and I was left with so many unknowns.
I had previously been homeless for more than 20 years, constantly working but never enough to afford my own apartment. After a lot of couch surfing and moving around, I entered the Integrated Treatment Program at Haven for Hope knowing I had to do something about my substance addiction. Then I entered the SAMMinistries program in 2023 and have been housed with them ever since.
Life at The Hudson was great. I had my own place, cooked gourmet meals and made friends with my neighbors. After the fire, my dog, Treble, and I moved into shared housing in one of the undamaged units at the complex. We were sharing a space with a roommate who had a cat, but I’m allergic and was used to having my own space, so it was a tough adjustment.
After some time, I moved into the Woodhill apartments in northwest San Antonio where I have my own space again. There are shopping centers and eateries nearby, and I have easy access to VIA bus routes. The surrounding community is very quiet, and I like to go on walks with Treble around the complex and the neighborhood. I also like to take walks on my own and listen to music.
Some of my neighbors were my neighbors at The Hudson who, like me, were displaced after the fire. I like to check in with them and even cook for them. Cooking is a passion of mine, and I’m always coming up with new recipes to share with my neighbors. I pick up groceries from St. Frances Church’s food pantry and my local H-E-B and get creative.
My case manager visits me weekly to help connect me to community resources, like SNAP, employment and education resources. I’m a CNA, so finding resources for employment is a goal I’m working toward.
The Hudson fire was really traumatic and had a big impact on my mental health, but I try to keep a positive outlook on life. Cooking, music and art help with my mental state and calm me down when life is testing me. I set goals for myself and remember I’ve been blessed with this opportunity at Woodhill, even though it is temporary.
I am excited to return to The Hudson once it is ready for me to move back in and look forward to rebuilding my community there, but in the meantime, I’m building community at Woodhill and making the most of the present.
