My name is Lena, a 41-year-old single mom of three. In 2022, after leaving an 18-year relationship, I faced a traumatic separation and divorce with no financial independence, having been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.

In November 2023, I moved from Southern Humboldt to Sonoma County for better opportunities and resources for my kids. At first, we rented a small room in a shared house, but it quickly became an emotionally toxic environment for my children and I.

Then, in December 2024, my children and their father were in a horrific car accident during a rainstorm on Highway 101. My daughter nearly drowned when the vehicle slid into the river, but was resuscitated by a volunteer firefighter and fully recovered. My sons escaped with only minor injuries, but it was a deeply traumatic experience for all of us. It was truly a miracle that they all survived.

Just a few weeks later, I heard about Woodmark Apartments and applied immediately. I was approved days later. We moved in on January 1st and it felt like a true fresh start—the next chapter in my life as a single mom. I felt blessed to finally have a safe, affordable apartment with enough space for me and my children, in a great location.

On September 2, 2025, I received a call from Misty at Woodmark Apartments. She left a message asking to talk, and when I called her back, she told me the complex was originally built for farmworkers. When they couldn’t fill the units, they opened eligibility to other low-income families. However, she said they’ve been unable to get the USDA waiver required for us to stay, and I would need to move out by October 31. She added that I’d receive a $10,000 check as an “incentive” if I left by then, or $5,000 if I left by November 31. I was shocked, speechless, and unprepared to ask any questions, especially since I was at work at the time. She offered no alternative housing or relocation support beyond those checks.

What’s even more outrageous is that no one told us about this USDA waiver when we applied or moved in. We all knew the apartments were originally intended for farmworkers, but not once were we told that our ability to stay here depended on a waiver that hadn’t even been approved. Had I known that, I would never have risked moving in—especially since I’ve already had to move three times since November 2023.

To think that this could now be taken away through no fault of our own—while no other low-income housing is available—feels unbearably cruel. I don’t know where we would go. If we’re forced out, I can’t afford another rental in Sonoma County and would have no choice but to leave my job and move back north—something that isn’t realistic, especially since my ex just relocated here as well. Losing this apartment would devastate my family.

My name is Beth and my husband Brad and I are one of the many residents whose stable housing is being threatened by Woodmark.

I have spent the last five years dealing with a rare and serious blood disorder. Brad was diagnosed with PPA, a rare form of dementia, in 2023. I am now his full time caregiver. We are both unable to work. We thought we had found stable housing at Woodmark. The subsidized rent that is one third of our monthly social security allowed us to rent an apartment close to our respective medical teams and near our various support networks, while still being able to afford groceries and gas for our drives to Dr appointments.

With the sudden demand from Woodmark that we move, we face losing Brad’s medical team, our dear dog Kita, and we will have to wait years for the already full Sonoma County low-cost housing wait lists to get to our names. This will effectively make us homeless. We strongly prefer not to leave. We were led to believe this rental would continue to be available to us after we were recertified, after our first year was complete. We have done nothing wrong to warrant such an egregious demand from Woodmark.