Voices from birdSEED: Ms. Sandra

Today, we hear from Ms. Sandra who immigrated from El Salvador at 19 and recently became a first-time buyer with help from BirdSEED and H-PAP. She shares what it meant to grow up in a stable home in El Salvador, and how difficult it was to find that same security in D.C.

From rising rent costs to language barriers, and even losing her first house due to funding delays, her story highlights the real challenges immigrants face on the path to homeownership. Now, as a homeowner in Southeast D.C., she reflects on how owning a home has transformed her sense of safety, her civic responsibility, and the future she envisions for her children.

This interview is a powerful reminder that access to housing is not just about shelter. It is about dignity, agency, and belonging.