Dulce’s story

Dulce and her three children live in a motel room in the San Fernando Valley. The room is painted a vibrant burnt orange and it is long, wide enough to fit two queen size beds, and not much else. Each day the family burrow into their suitcases and bags to fish out the item of clothing they desire, and then re-stack the precarious pile of of luggage into the corner of the room. It’s just one part of the daily dance of life in a tiny motel room.

This wasn’t the life that the 37-year-old mother had imagined. But after over a decade of living with an abusive husband, she finally left earlier this year. With nowhere else to go, she and her three children ended up in a domestic violence shelter. When their time there was up, they moved into their tiny car. They felt safer in the car than at the homeless shelter near Skid Row.

Finally, in April, Adame learned about an organization called LA Family Housing, which helped her receive a motel placement at a motel.

They were given a 28-day stay at the motel and support to find a permanent place to live. But it’s nearly impossible to find housing in Los Angeles, especially for a family like Dulce’s.

Dulce's Story

Photo by Matt Rogers

Listen to Dulce’s story

This story was produced with support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.