Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Ushun, 55, was primarily raised by his grandparents. When his widowed grandmother was ailing, he took time to care for her. After she passed away, Ushun was left alone and fell into street homelessness, a scary situation aggravated by his severe hearing loss.
In fall 2023, the LA Family Housing Metro Outreach Team came across Ushun at the Chatsworth station. Ushun was eager to receive support, but he and the team had difficulty communicating. His case manager was able to download a special program which essentially translated writing into sign language. They grew to understand each other and worked together to get Ushun’s documents ready for housing assistance. Through collaboration and creative problem-solving, Ushun was able to finally obtain housing. In spring 2024, he got the keys to his new apartment in Canoga Park. Ushun is relieved to live without fear and is grateful to now have a support circle. “Fourth of July was so beautiful because I was able to see the fireworks from my apartment window,” he said.
