Facing eviction and turned away until SVdP helped
By Andrea Ariza
With only a last dash of gas left in their tank, Chavi Padgett and her boyfriend had one final shot to get the eviction prevention assistance they needed. Earlier that day, they awakened at 7 a.m. to stand outside assistance centers before they opened. Every door they knocked on led to disappointment. On the verge of losing hope, they couldn’t afford another runaround.
They drove to St. Vincent de Paul.
Someone had referred them to SVdP’s Family Support Services team, where they met Laurie Sobel, SVdP’s manager of homelessness prevention. Laurie learned about the couple’s circumstances.
In December 2024, Chavi and her boyfriend moved into a one-bedroom apartment they loved. Shortly after moving in, Chavi contracted pneumonia and was unable to work for the rest of December. Her boyfriend’s part-time job couldn't keep up with all the bills, and without Chavi’s paycheck, they missed one full month of rent, placing them at risk of eviction.
It was a nightmare scenario. Chavi and her boyfriend had only just regained housing. They were evicted two years earlier and living out of their SUV after Chavi had been laid off from a job and couldn’t afford rent. Around the same time, the couple experienced multiple family deaths.
The grief paired with Chavi’s job loss, led both into a deep depression. They experienced homelessness together for two years until they found faith in God. With a new, determined mindset they gained employment, cleared the eviction from their record, and found a new apartment.
The thought of becoming homeless again haunted the couple as they desperately looked for resources.
“We were very stressed to the point where we were just walking around like zombies,” Chavi says. “We didn't have energy, because all our energy was drained from being stressed from the situation, not knowing what was next.”
Chavi also couldn’t shake the thought of how hard she had worked to clear her past eviction from her record. She was determined to avoid another one.
“When Chavi came in, she was visibly worried about losing her home,” Laurie says. “You could see the stress on her face, but despite her concerns, she still carried a sense of hope and positivity. It was clear she believed in the possibility of finding a solution.”
That same day, Laurie provided Chavi and her boyfriend with the necessary next steps, contacted their landlord, and initiated the process for SVdP to cover their overdue rent. She knew Chavi would make the most of the help.
“Chavi stood out because of her resilience and gracious demeanor,” Laurie says. “She was incredibly polite and never demanding, even in the face of hardship. She shared her journey of overcoming homelessness, sleeping in her car, taking deliberate steps to secure housing, and working toward stability. She fought hard for the home she had, and she remained hopeful about keeping it.”
Overwhelmed with relief, Chavi and her boyfriend broke down in the office, shocked that SVdP could prevent their eviction. The funds used were possible through SVdP’s Angels on Call program, a donor program that allows community members to help prevent and end homelessness for individuals and families like Chavi and her boyfriend.
“That was a lot of weight and a lot of stress off our shoulders," Chavi remembers. "It felt great because I've never had resources that I could rely on, not even someone to vent to. With the help we received, we know with our work, we'll be able to continue paying our bills on time from here on out.”
Chavi and her boyfriend are back on track with their rent. They are both employed in full time jobs and are gradually working towards furnishing their apartment.
