Hoping for a new place to call home in ’15

Robert Zendejas said he had it all eight years ago.

He had a nice home in Eastlake with his wife and kids.

He had four cars.

He and his wife had the luxury of eating dinner at restaurants about four days a week.

Then the economy came crashing down.

And Zendejas lost it all.

“Every time I came home from work, my evenings were spent in my Jacuzzi, looking up at the sky, looking up at the stars wondering and thanking the Lord that I have this much,” he said reminiscing of the time when he thought life was good.

The last eight years have been a struggle for him and his family ever since he got laid off from his job at H&R Framing in Poway.

He said the company relocated to the East Coast and as a result had to lay off many of its employees, including Zendejas.

He said he saw the layoffs coming but thought he was nearly untouchable after working for 13 years with the company.

“When I was working with H&R framing, I saw the majority of my colleagues start disappearing,” he said.
Zendejas,45, said he’s tried to find a job in the framing industry, but that there is no work out there for him.

Zendejas said he made about $1,200 a week before getting laid off.

To make ends meet while laid-off, Zendejas sold his four cars, then the money ran out and his home was taken away as he had to file for bankruptcy.

“The bills kept coming in,” he said. “Then more bills kept coming in and all the money just went,” he said.

Today, Zendejas and his family of five can be seen camping out at Chula Vista’s Memorial Park on Third Avenue.

Zendejas’ youngest son, Salvador, 10, said he does not enjoy camping out at the park with his family.

“(Life is) kinda boring,” he said. “Because we have to come out here (to the park) every single day.”
Salvador said he’s been coming to the park for about a year now.

Zendejas said several church groups and nonprofit organizations have donated food, drinks and other items to the family while they camped out at Memorial Park.

As the new year gets under way, he is looking to turn the page on another year, as he has the past eight years.

“It’s been rough, very rough. It’s difficult, very difficult,” he said about this year.

But he remains optimistic that in 2015 his fortunes will change.

“Things can’t get any worse. Things are only going to get better,” he said with conviction.

“I hope to God it’s going to be a much better year because I am willing to give it my all.”

He said in 2015 life can change if he gets a job in the construction field, has a stable home for his family and is able to spend money on his children.

Zendejas said he has used the homeless services provided by the city of Chula Vista. While he said the city provides great services, the citizens have been the most helpful.

“The thing about Chula Vista, there is a lot of kind, generous human beings with hearts that give out to people that are in this predicament,” he said.

While the citizens come to his aid, he said city workers are not as nice. He said an employee for the Parks and Recreation Department harasses the family and calls the police.

Zendejas said he filed a formal complaint with the city about that employee and has yet to see a response.

Zendejas said he has no issue with the Chula Vista Police Department as sometimes they help him out and provide aid.