Albert's Journey Home

Pictured: HomeFirst interim housing site, Rue Ferrari

Albert never planned to be homeless. For five years, he rented a room in a shared house. He was stable, settled, and getting by. Then his roommate's family moved in, and overnight, there was no room for him. With no way to afford an apartment on his own, Albert found himself on the streets for the first time in his life.

That's when HomeFirst found him.

Our outreach team connected with Albert and helped him secure a spot at Rue Ferrari, one of HomeFirst's interim housing communities. It's been more than a roof. At Rue Ferrari, Albert lives with his dog, has built relationships with neighbors who look out for him, and receives on-site case management to help him plan his next steps.

Those next steps are coming soon. Albert has received a housing voucher from the Office of Supportive Housing and is waiting for the call that will move him into a permanent home of his own—one where he can watch football on Sundays and fire up a grill on a warm afternoon.

Albert's story is one of thousands of people served through our outreach and emergency shelter programs in 2024 alone. It's a reminder that homelessness can happen to anyone, and that the right connection, at the right moment, can change everything.