Resident tells council she was kept beyond program term, faces housing delays and retaliation at Serenity Homes

Theresa Tapia, who identified herself as a resident at the Serenity Homes family program, addressed the Baldwin Park City Council during public comment on April 16 and said she has been in the program for about two and a half years, although she was told the program lasts 90 days.

Tapia said she had completed program job trainings and held two jobs while in the program but has been given what she described as the runaround by the site manager and by the housing provider identified in her remarks as "Lassa." She said she received a letter stating her length of stay was too long and that other families had been removed. "I've done everything that they've asked me... I have 2 jobs. I've been having 2 jobs since I've been there, and I'm getting the runaround on my housing," she said.

Tapia asked the council to investigate whether resources and referrals are actually being provided to residents of the shelter and requested assistance to be relocated. She said she has documentation she said shows she is not connected to housing resources that were supposed to be provided.

The mayor advised speakers during the meeting that public comment items will not be addressed at the meeting itself but staff will take notes and follow up after the meeting. The meeting record shows the city said staff would contact Tapia following the meeting; no council action was taken on her comments at the April 16 session.