Good morning.
It is indeed a very good morning in East Garrison today, where 65 families have a beautiful, safe and affordable place to live at the Alfred Diaz-Infante Apartments. Pam Marino here, to share some happy news about the apartments and the celebratory grand opening that took place a few days ago.
The apartments were built by nonprofit builder CHISPA, and when the plan for them was conceived many years ago, Diaz-Infante was president and CEO. Sadly, he was killed in a car crash in 2021 at the age of 60, as they were gearing up for construction.
About a year ago, CHISPA found a new leader in Geoffrey Morgan and six months ago the apartments were completed and families began moving into the Mediterranean-style complex, with a community room, play areas and attractive, drought-tolerant landscaping.
“The best week I’ve had at CHISPA was the week that we had two families that moved in, one after another, one that was living in Watsonville in a garage where they would have to leave and the other living in a one-bedroom trailer,” Morgan said during the grand opening on Thursday, July 11, inside the community room.
There were speeches by local politicians or their representatives and presentations of official proclamations. Outside they cut a big ribbon with giant golden scissors. There were also a few tears, as speakers spoke directly to members of the Diaz-Infante family who came to the event.
Dominic Dursa, the district manager for California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), choked back tears acknowledging the family’s presence and speaking reverently about the contributions of Diaz-Infante and the impact that adding affordable housing has on the region.
“I know there’s no greater way we can honor his legacy than to open these homes,” Dursa said. “What does a home mean? It means an opportunity for a future.”
Dursa chronicled how Rivas’ family was able to have an affordable home when he was young, “and it carried him all the way to the halls of Sacramento, and it’s because of people like Alfred.”
Diaz-Infante of course did not do it alone. It took a dedicated CHISPA staff, support from elected officials and government staff, financing by lending institutions, power companies and more. Getting any affordable housing project is a complicated, expensive and heavy lift.
“We have to not only honor Alfred, we have to not only celebrate the units today, but we have to remember what project is next,” Dursa said, referencing the immense housing crisis that exists. (The apartments are just one data point: CHISPA received 1,800 applications for 65 units, with 43 set aside for farmworker families.)
“We cannot lose sight even as we celebrate today,” he said. “If we're going to honor Alfred, if we are going to do all for this community we have to continue the fight for next 80 units, for the next 100 units, for the next 1,000 units.”
It was a joyful day, but as Dursa said, the fight for more affordable homes continues.
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