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Success Stories

USDA Assists Single Mother in Becoming a First-Time Homeowner

Donald Etes

Sherilyn Cruz is a single mother raising three children on her own. She has been employed with the Department of Education as a teacher’s aide for over 13 years. And for the past 12 years she has been living with assistance from the Guam Housing & Urban Renewal Authority’s (GHURA) Section 8 government subsidy housing program.

USDA Rural Development provided Ms. Cruz with a $220,000 direct home loan. The funds were used to purchase a 3-bedroom, 2 and a half bathroom home in the northern village of Yigo, Guam.

After many years of renting a home, Ms. Cruz and her children can now enjoy the satisfaction of becoming first-time homeowners. The family now has more control over what they want to do with their home as opposed to being restricted as renters. "Being a single parent is very difficult and paying rent for over 12 years was heartbreaking considering I was paying towards the mortgage of another person," said Cruz.

Once they were approved, the search for a new home finally began for the Cruz family. The search was a family affair as Sherilyn wanted her children to also be a part of looking for their very own home. "My kids and I found the perfect home that suited all our needs," she said.

"My family now has a place we can call our home." She also expressed her gratitude for the assistance that the local USDA Rural Development staff offered her throughout the application process.

Date of Obligation
Obligation Amount:
$220,000
Date of Obligation:
Congressional District:
Bordallo