By Nicole Scott, NDG Contributing Writer
There is nothing that quite symbolizes the realization of the American Dream like home ownership.
It is that moment people diligently work and save for even sacrifice. Home ownership gives us a sense of pride, knowing we have something we can call our own and when the time comes even pass on to our loved ones. When we sign that mound of paperwork on closing day and receive the keys to our new home it is a cause for celebration.
Celebrating was exactly what Ella James anticipated when she applied for a home through the City of Irving’s revitalization program in May 2011. James, a single mother and clothing retail supervisor says she was encouraged by the City of Irving’s Housing Development Analyst Sara Ramirez to apply for a home under the new HUD program. According to James, Ramirez claimed due to the nature of the program she wouldn’t have to concern herself with getting approval from a bank for a mortgage and the process would take no longer than 45 days.
As James had never owned a home before she jumped at the opportunity and completed an application. Within two weeks Ramirez informed her she had been approved and now all that was left was an inspection of the property she had chosen, an appraisal and for the funds to be released. James was anticipating moving into her new home by July. She had already informed her daughter’s father, who had been kind enough to take them in until they moved into their new home, she would be moving out.
Unfortunately things didn’t go as she had planned. July came and went and James and her daughter still had not moved into their new home. When James questioned Ramirez about the delay she was told they were just waiting for the funds to be released.
“Every time my move in date would come she would push it back again. I started to think something must be wrong. This doesn’t sound right”, James said. But she was determined and refused to lose hope or give up. “I’m not walking away. She’s going to have to tell me no,” James said.
In April of 2012 James lost her job causing the status of her application to change. After securing employment she informed Ramirez. But now Ramirez informed her she now had to wait six months after being on her current job before she could re-submit all of her paperwork.
Although James was employed she was not working a sufficient number of hours which she informed Ramirez. Ramirez indicated if James switched jobs she would have to start the process over again from the beginning. Although James was reluctant, she was left with no alternative as her current job was not enough to make ends meet.
In May of 2013 she was able to land gainful employment and immediately informed Ramirez. She was now told she would have to wait 30 days. More than two years had passed since James initially applied for a home. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Her relationship with her daughter’s father began to deteriorate as a result of her having to constantly extend her stay far beyond what she originally stated.
James expressed to Ramirez she and her daughter were now living in a hostile environment and was concerned for their safety. Ramirez assured her everything would be finalized and she and her daughter would without any doubt be able to move in their new home by Aug. 30.
After everything James had endured, switching jobs, home insecurity, she wanted to be positive nothing would fall through with her moving into her new home so she took extra precautions and kept in close contact with Ramirez.
In the beginning of August she called to check the status of things and was told she needed to provide additional paperwork, which she did. A couple of weeks later Ramirez told her HUD had all of the paperwork and she was just waiting for a response. A few days before Aug. 30, her expected close date, James received a call from Ramirez asking her to come to her office. The wait was finally over she thought.
James was anxious to meet with Ramirez as she was in desperate need of some good news. She and her daughter were abruptly forced to leave the place they had been living with practically the clothes on their back. When James and her daughter arrived at Ramirez’s office she was surprised to see Ramirez’s supervisor and the Director of Housing, Chris Hooper present as well. In her heart she knew the meeting would not go as she had hoped.
Ramirez informed her she would not be getting the home after all. The reason — one of the check stubs James submitted from her job only had one week of work as opposed to two.
Heartbroken and humiliated James stood up and walked out of the office with her daughter who, unlike her was not able to hold back the tears. Looking up at her mother crying she asked, “Mom, are we homeless now?”
“Who does that? Who could be so cruel” asked James? “That is one person [Ramirez] who does not need to deal with people. She does not bring families together. She destroys them.”
James feels that is exactly what Ramirez did, not only to her and her daughter, but her daughter’s father as well. As a result of the animosity that was created during her extended stay, James says her daughter’s father no longer has a healthy relationship with his daughter. He felt James was misleading him the entire time about the home and simply taking advantage of his kindness. In his mind, the process couldn’t possibly take two years.
As a result of her experience with the City’s Housing Department, James is still extremely distraught, as evident by her tears when we spoke. She says the ordeal has been a nightmare for her and her daughter. They are now living in a small one-bedroom apartment, saving and awaiting the opportunity to apply for a home from the Habitat for Humanity. James remains hopeful and encouraged. Partly because she has learned she is not alone in her experience.
Anthony Bond, community activist in Irving, shared, “I accompanied Ella James to the South West Regional Office in Fort Worth and agreed to be her representative in her Fair Housing Complaint she filed against the City of Irving’s Housing and Human Services Department. It saddens me to no end to see a single Black Mom, struggling to raise a smart and beautiful daughter, be treated this way.”
Laura Alfaro, a single parent and immigrant from Mexico applied for a HUD home under the City’s Tudor Lane Project in March of 2013 and encountered almost an identical experience as James. According to Alfaro over a course of four months Ramirez gave her false hope that after she had completed her application and submitted certain paperwork she had been approved for a home.
Alfaro says Ramirez kept requesting additional paperwork. She scheduled a meeting with Alfaro and asked her to bring home insurance quotes, even gave her a closing date of Aug. 30 [just like James] leading her to believe the house was hers.
In July, when Alfaro met with Ramirez, things did not go at all how she anticipated. Instead of finalizing her home ownership process she was told she did not qualify due to her debt to income ratio being too high. Hearing this Alfaro felt angered and humiliated.
Based on the misinformation Ramirez had given her, she had informed her family and seven-year-old son they would be moving into their new home by the end of August. She even gave the apartment complex, where she was residing, a two-month notice and did not renew her lease.
Alfaro’s, as well as James,’ experience with the City’s Housing Department and specifically Ramirez, has left quite an indelible stain on their memories. However, apparently they are not alone. In fact, James says Ramirez told her she had been getting some bad press and asked if she would write a letter of approval, expressing how good of a job Ramirez was doing. She even asked James if anyone had approached her regarding her experience with her. Quite naturally, James declined Ramirez’s request.
We contacted the City as well as Ramirez for a response regarding the allegations against them. Ramirez did not respond prior to the publication of this story, however the City’s Manager of Communications and Media Relations, Meribeth Sloan sent the following statement:
“The city firmly asserts the allegations are entirely lacking in merit and truth. The City of Irving remains committed to placing qualified families in the Tudor Lane Homes,” according to Chris Hooper, Senior Director, Community Resources, City of Irving.
Both Ella and Laura have filed formal HUD complaints against the City’s Housing Department and Ramirez, and, have spoken to HUD investigators. Accountability is what these two women want from the City’s Housing Department. Public records show that as of this printing, the pre-existing home and town homes Ella and Laura were approved for by Ramirez, are still owned by the City of Irving and remain vacant.
Their American Dream may have been temporarily delayed by the City’s Housing Department and Ramirez’s actions, but these two women will still strive to become homeowners one day.
If you have or know of anyone who has had a similar experience with the City of Irving Housing Department contact us. We would love to hear your story.
