New Home in a Familiar Neighborhood

Wasie came to Oakland 11 years ago from Eritrea.

He started his own business as a car service driver, and his wife is a home health worker who cares for frail seniors.

Before they moved into a BRIDGE property, their family of four lived at 16th and Market in Oakland, in a one-bedroom apartment that cost more and was overcrowded. Wasie knew of AvéVista, as he had previously lived in the neighborhood. He stood in line to submit his application, but knew that the odds were long, as he was among 5,200 people vying for just 68 apartments.

Here’s how Wasie reacted when he found out that his family would be moving into AvéVista:

“I was screaming, I was so happy! There’s the library, a park for the kids to play in, and the lake where we can walk and ride bikes. This is the best thing I could hope for… a wonderful place to raise a family. Every morning when we walk outside, I can’t tell you how big my daughter’s smile is. Thank you for this beautiful place that my family is proud to call home.”