Roles: Regional HUD Administrator, MA State Representative
Tell us a little about where you grew up?
I was blessed to grow up surrounded by family, both in the Dominican Republic and in New England. My aunt and uncle, Altagracia and Ismael Matias, graciously welcomed us into their home in Haverhill when we first arrived in this country. Their home was the first stable housing my siblings and I experienced in the United States.From there, we bounced around a few different rental units while my father saved up for a house. Finally in 1996, he achieved his American Dream and bought us our first home – a three-family fixer upper in Haverhill.
How did that experience shape you as a person/ How did that impact the path that you followed in life?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the secure housing my family provided me growing up. That stability was instrumental in shaping my world view and in fueling my passion for public service. As HUD’s New England Regional Administrator, I have both the privilege and responsibility to ensure that the very system that allowed me to flourish, continues to do the same for working families across New England.
Why is affordable housing important now?
Affordable housing is essential to the health of our state’s economy and communities. Access to affordable housing is one the most effective tools in lifting people out of poverty and increasing economic mobility. Housing allows people to invest in themselves, their health, and education, and it allows families and communities to thrive.
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the secure housing my family provided me growing up. That stability was instrumental in shaping my world view and in fueling my passion for public service.
