Roberto C Coto
Host Agency: Visionary Home Builders of California (San Joaquin Valley)
University: University of the Pacific

Roberto C Coto is the first born son of Carolina Morales and José Roberto Coto, who both came form El Salvador during the 80’s. They migrated to the City of Los Angeles to escape a civil was that claimed the lives of about 75,000 people and to pursue a better standard of living. Both of Roberto’s parents worked hard in various blue-collar jobs and enjoyed many of America’s freedoms. In 1992, Roberto and his family relocated themselves in El Salvador for five years. After realizing that economical and social factors continued to be unstable, they returned to the United States.

Roberto was born in Los Angeles on July 17th, 1985. He graduated from Eagle Rock High School in which he was able to get involved with the community through activism, become the president of his high school’s Amnesty International, and intern for Casa Del Pueblo where he learned about urban issues such as gentrification. In 2004, Roberto was accepted to University of the Pacific; he will be graduating with Sociology major and Public Affairs minor.

Roberto finds passion in the fields of housing and civic engagement. His goal is to continue learning more about affordable housing and community development. He also hopes to further his education by someday entering a post-graduate program. Roberto now interns for Visionary Home Builders of California, an organization that leads in the realms of affordable housing development and managements in the city of Stockton.

Esther R. Ferris Host Agency: Housing Authority of Stanislaus County University: California State University, Stanislaus After going through divorce and losing her home in the Bay Area, Ms. Ferris and her three children relocated to Modesto to rebuild their lives. After six months of commuting for 5 hours each day, to and from work, Ms. Ferris quit her job on Friday, June 13th. This was a good day for Ms. Ferris rather than the traditional stigma placed on Friday the 13th. However, the trials that followed did not show signs of things being good. Ms. Ferris had run a licensed home child care for 8 years, but did not have a degree in the field. Upon the advice of an advisor, she enrolled in Modesto Junior College (MJC) to obtain an AA degree in Child Development. After only six months of attending school, the first obstacle arose and Ms. Ferris nearly had to quit school and find work in order to meet unemployment regulations. During an appeal process, she did not receive income for several months and was unable to maintain her bills. Ms. Ferris won the appeal and was able to continue at MJC. She was only able to catch up on her bills briefly and was evicted from the home she and her children were renting. Ms. Ferris turned to a local shelter and was prepared to go, but opted for living in a converted garage instead. Going to the shelter would have separated her oldest son from the family because of his age. These experiences opened Ms. Ferris’ eyes to the realities of the country’s poor and homeless. She was one of them. This experience also made her more determine than ever to complete college and be able to support her family. With assistance from community agencies, Ms. Ferris obtained affordable housing for her family, education assistance, child care assistance and more. Ms. Ferris graduated from MJC in 2005 with an AA in Child Development and an AA in Business Administration. She is presently pursuing her BA in both and has added a minor in Political Science. Helping to meet the basic needs of people is so important and without those needs met, an individual cannot move out of poverty. Ms. Ferris’ love for children, who are affected by a family’s poverty situation, leads her to want to help other families affected by situations that are out of their own control. Ms. Ferris is currently working as a California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH) and LISC AmeriCorps Intern with The Housing Authority of Stanislaus County. The Housing Authority assists low-income families with affordable housing. They also assist low-income home owners with major and minor home repair programs.

Ms. Ferris is working on a sewer connection project as well as the major and minor home repair programs.
Ms. Ferris is active at her university as the treasurer of the Child Development Club. She is active in the community through her church and she is the Membership Chair for the Stanislaus Association for the Education of Young Children. As an intern, Ms. Ferris hopes to gain the tools and experience needed to make a difference in California’s nonprofit housing and community development field. Amber N Green-House Host Agency: Community HousingWorks (San Diego County) University: University of California, San Diego

Amber Green-House was born in San Bernardino, California on January 27th 1986. She and her two younger sisters were raised by their mother, Tracie House and stepfather, Val Mahabir. Ms. Green-House had lived in San Bernardino all of her life up until the time she left to San Diego for college. She is the first in her entire family to attend college and will be the first to obtain a degree. Ms. House is currently attending the University of California, San Diego where she is majoring in economics with a minor in ethnic studies. Her campus involvement includes working part-time for the Early Academic Outreach Program as a high school academic mentor and college peer educator. She is also captain of UCSD’s Track and Field team where she was very fortunate and blessed to hold the title of All-American in the 4X400 relay. Lastly, she is an active member of UCSD’s Black Student Union where she currently holds the position of Internal Outreach Coordinator. Her future plan is to attend graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in either Urban Studies and Planning or Educational Administration. She hopes that her experience as a CCRH intern will help her to find further direction within her professional career. Ms. Green-House is eager and willing to learn with an open mind and philanthropic spirit with hopes of finding her true passion and place in life.

As a CCRH Internship Program participant, Ms. Green-House holds the position of Development Project Intern for Community HousingWorks. Community HousingWorks, a San Diego non-profit developer and lender, helps people move up in the world by providing a full range of housing, training and support services. Upon discovering this internship program, she was immediately intrigued by the various opportunities for educational advancement as well as the programs goals for their interns. She felt that this internship would be the perfect opportunity for her to learn about the intricacies of community development especially within housing and real-estate development. At Community HousingWorks she is currently working with a Senior Project Manager on the rehabilitation of Turnagain Arms Apartments in Fallbrook California. They plan to re-finance the project with the hopes of obtaining sufficient funding to rehabilitate the entire complex. She is currently responsible for the preparation of a couple of funding application for this project. These applications include the CDLAC application that will be submitted to the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee and the TCAC application, to be submitted to the Tax Credit Allocation Committee. She has also been involved in communication with the current lenders, investors, title companies and board members of the Turnagain Project.

Vanessa Guerra

Host Agency: Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (Greater Sacramento Area)

University: California State University, Sacramento

Vanessa Guerra was born in Woodland, CA. becoming the first American born citizen of her family. Her parents, as well as her two older brothers, came to the United States in the early 1980’s as undocumented immigrants from Michoacán, Mexico and settled in the small low income farm working community of Esparto, CA, where she was raised. Her humble beginnings and experience in farm labor created a strong work ethic that has helped her accomplish her goals in academics, civic participation and commitment to her church. As an adolescent, much of her extrovert characteristics began to develop through her active involvement in student clubs, sports, and the community that lead her to hold leadership roles such as student body president her senior year in high school as well as graduating with honors by ranking 3rd in her graduating class and the highest Latino student overall.

Highly interested in the sciences and mathematics, Ms. Guerra continued her education at CSU, Sacramento where she explored careers in Biology, Civil Engineering and found a strong interest in Constructions Management. She is now a graduating senior and will be receiving her Bachelors of Science in Construction Management and a minor in Business and Administration in the spring of 2008. Through her experiences as a female in her field of study, she recognizes the challenges that exist in the very homogenous community of construction and project management, yet she actively encourages high school women, specifically Latinas, to consider the career as an option.

While in college, Ms. Guerra’s involvement in student organizations helped her further develop some of her leadership and communication skills through her experience of student and community advocacy. She was elected as the Director of the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences for the CSU, Sacramento Association of Students, Inc., held leadership positions such as President and Community Service Coordinator for her sorority, Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. and became an active member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at Sac State. Her future aspirations include pursuing a Masters in Urban and Land Development in order to further expand her knowledge of the industry and gain a multitude of experience that would enhance her future career endeavors.

Selected as an intern for the 2007/2008 CCRH Internship program, Ms Guerra is hosted by Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA), a non-profit corporation that develops, owns and operates affordable multi-family housing in the Greater Sacramento community. She is currently working as a Project Manager Intern under the Housing Development Department of the organization, where she will be working directly with the Project Managers and Development Director reviewing financial proformas, preparing development financial applications, as well as analyzing and approving project/construction documents. Her current projects include the “Owendal II” Davis project, a 70 unit multi-family development located in Davis; the “Donner Field” project a 20 unit single-family development in Sacramento and the rehabilitation of the “Westerner Mobile Home Park,” located in Elk grove.

Luis Preciado
Host Agency: South County Housing Corporation (Silicon Valley/Central Coast)
University: California State University, Monterey Bay

Luis Antonio Preciado was born and raised in El Sabino, Jalisco, Mexico. Mr. Preciado is the oldest of two brothers and one sister. His younger siblings and he migrated to California in 1998 to reunite with both of their parents. Mr. Preciado has been a resident of Salinas ever since. He initially attended Hartnell Community College in pursuit of higher education and currently attends California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) majoring in Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) with a concentration in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in Psychology. One project that stand out as part of his field studies include the Queretaro Project, where he conducted ethnographic research in a small rural community in one of the municipalities of Humilpan, Queretaro, Mexico during the summer of 2006. Mr. Preciado also conducted ethnographic research in Watsonville, California for a research and methods data analysis class during the fall of 2006. He is currently working on his final research graduation project involving the Watsonville City Plaza; observing and studying the meaning of the plaza for locals and how locals make use and claims of public spaces such as plazas.

Mr. Preciado was a tire shop manager before joining the CCRH Internship Program, which provides him with the desired opportunity to be more directly involved in community development work. This past year, he also worked for the Educational Partnership Center, a non-profit organization in collaboration with the University of Santa Cruz, which emphasizes the importance of higher education for underrepresented populations and provides an array of services to prepare middle school and high school students for success in college as first generation college students.

As a CCRH Intern, Mr. Preciado was placed at South County Housing Corporation, a non-profit organization with the mission to build healthy communities. The organization works in collaboration with other sister organizations to build affordable housing ranging from single to multi-family complexes for low income families in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Clara counties. Mr. Preciado is currently working on the University Village Apartments, a 108 unit multi-family housing project located in Marina, part of Monterey County. He will be involved in all aspects of the development process of this project and other affordable housing projects at South County Housing.

Vanessa Rico
Host Agency: CHISPA (Monterey County)
University: California State University, Monterey Bay

Vanessa Rico and her family immigrated to the United States during the 1980s, when she was only six years old. However, this was not the first time that Ms. Rico’s parents had stepped ground in this country; they used to migrate from Mexico following seasonal work in the United States. Settling in the US finally brought stability to Ms. Rico’s family, which consists of both parents and six brothers and sisters.

Ms. Rico is a first generation college student at CSU Monterey Bay. Next year she will graduate with a Bachelors degree in Social Behavioral Science with a double minor in Psychology and Social Work. She plans to pursue graduate studies in the future.

This year, Ms. Rico was given the opportunity to be an intern with (CHISPA) Community Housing Improvement System & Planning Association, Inc. through the CCRH Internship Program. Ms. Rico has been working with CHISPA she been learning many interesting aspects about affordable housing she wasn’t aware of. Prior to CHISPA, Ms. Rico was an intern at Alisal Healthy Start, where she shadowed a social work. In addition, she has worked for the California Mini-Corps program, where the focus was to assist migrant students in local schools throughout California. Ms. Rico was recognized as the best teacher assistant of the year.

This upcoming year, Ms. Rico’s focus and purpose will be to PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. As a development staff at CHISPA, Ms. Rico upholds CHISPA’s mission to provide affordable housing to many residents of Monterey County. One of the projects she will be working on involves a partnership with a local community college to build a two story home for a low-income family to be completed during the summer of 2008.

Esmeralda Santos
Host Agency: Self-Help Enterprises
University: California State University, Fresno

Esmeralda Santos was born in Portland, Oregon in 1985 and is daughter of Pablo Santos and Rafaela Morales. Both of her parents are farmworkers, Mixtecos who emigrated from Oaxaca, Mexico. Ms. Santos grew up in Madera, CA with her three siblings and an uncle. She is the first in her family to go to college and currently attends the California State University of Fresno. Ms. Santos seeks a Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy (pre-law option) and a B.A. in Chicano and Latin American Studies. She has been actively involved in the Fresno State community through Associated Students Inc. and Chicanos in Law. Additionally, she has been involved with the California State Student Association and engaged students in the political process through voter education and mobilization, and letter writing campaigns. Her experience also includes lobbying at the local and state level and organizing press conferences in support of higher education. Once a Fresno State graduate, Ms. Santos hopes to attend law school to pursue a Juris Doctorate degree and use it to serve low income communities.

Ms. Santos’ newest career endeavor is working as a Multi-Family Housing Intern at Self-Help Enterprises. Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) is a non-profit affordable housing organization in Visalia. SHE is the leader in the market for affordable housing in the San Joaquin Central Valley. Esmeralda was able to obtain the position through the California Coalition of Rural Housing (CCRH) Internship program. Ms. Santos is part of the Multi-Family Housing Department which consists of five other individuals who work on 21 housing projects. She is currently working on the “Lamont Village” Tax Credit Allocation Committee Application as well as the “Parksdale Village” HOME Application. In addition, she is actively involved in the final construction phases of both “Biola Village” in Fresno and “Lincoln Heights” in Hanford. Both complexes will serve low income households and will be completed by September 2007.

Jodie Solorio
Host Agency: Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, (Ventura)
University: California State University, Northridge

With $4.75 for laundry in Jodie Solorio’s pocket, she was ready to start her new life as a college student. She left the San Joaquin Valley and Dinuba for a new life at Humboldt State University in Northern California. There she pursued a degree in Psychology. Entering college with almost nothing, other than a sense of adventure and determination to break the cycle of poverty into which she was born, Jodie was unprepared for the challenges new college students face.

Ms. Solorio’s personal experience of growing up in the small farming community of Dinuba is a pertinent factor in her current pursuit of a degree in Urban Studies and Planning at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Although her journey as a first generation college student began at Humboldt State University, through her perseverance she was able to overcome a five year interruption in her education and began to attend classes at CSUN. Now, she is excited to announce she will be graduating this spring with both a degree in Psychology and a degree in Urban Studies and Planning with an emphasis in Environmental Analysis. Ms. Solorio is the Professional Development Officer for the Urban Planning Students of Northridge, a campus organization. She works as a Teacher’s Assistant with the Geography Department. She also assists in an introduction Geographic Information Systems (GIS) course and Geography of the United States course.

Currently, Ms. Solorio is working as a CCRH Intern with Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) in their Real Estate Development Division. CEDC is a private, nonprofit, community economic development corporation. CEDC fulfills a tremendous housing need throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Recognizing that affordable housing is intrinsically tied to quality of life, CEDC works to foster many business, community, and government collaborations to make affordable housing possible. CEDC’s philosophy is— work should be done in the context of leadership development and the development of community institutions.

Under the guidance of CCRH and CEDC, Ms. Solorio is certain that she will further develop her leadership qualities and become an asset to California’s nonprofit housing and community development field.