SAN DIEGO — In 2023, CBS 8 followed a San Diego family struggling to make ends meet and hoping to find housing. They had jobs but simply couldn't afford a place to live.
Now, we're catching up with the family exactly one year later.
Marcos De La Sierra and his wife Ariel now have a nine-month-old baby boy.
"He is so adorable and really is the fuel to my fire," said father Marco De La Sierra.
Their family is staying at Father Joe's Villages. They secured a spot there in the spring after months of living on the streets and occasionally securing temporary hotel vouchers.
"I appreciate everything that is happening for us right now. God is good, God is great and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," De La Sierra said.
He got his food vendor license and is selling snacks in East Village.
"I'm really hoping Father Joe's Villages can see I'm working and trying to build something out of my life especially being homeless it's not an excuse. I'm just hoping I get some more love," he said.
The process up until now hasn't been easy. Their time at Father Joe's comes to an end this April and they fear what might come next.
"I hope the city of San Diego realizes there are families out here trying to make it," Ariel said.
They said many shelters only accept single men or women with children but don't allow entire families. Permanent housing opportunities are very limited and have long wait lists in order of who applies first. Their family believed they'd been put on a waitlist but recently learned that wasn't the case.
"You got people like me, a working-class American, a native San Diegan who has hit rock bottom and needs help. Their programs are not really helping like they should," De La Sierra said.
He and his wife aren't strangers to challenges. They both grew up in foster care in San Diego. Their future now is uncertain but they're holding hope things will workout.
"God is really leading me. He helped me build a business, gave me a beautiful baby son and just got to keep following this road and hope it pays off," he said.
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