As director of coordinated housing solutions, Evelyn Cordero works to streamline the pathways to housing for people experiencing homelessness. Throughout her 20-year career at Pine Street Inn, Evelyn has developed and collaborated with programs to help individuals achieve their goal of finding permanent housing.

“Everyone has the right to be housed,” says Evelyn. “We try to find solutions, rather than see barriers.”

Evelyn was first connected with Pine Street through her role at the Latino Health Institute, where she created an educational curriculum for Latino community members around HIV.

“Pine Street’s outreach supervisor, Leo Adorno, reached out and asked if I could create HIV prevention materials for the outreach team,” reflects Evelyn. “One day, he asked me if I wanted to volunteer at Pine Street. I never looked back.”

In addition to experiencing homelessness as a teenager, Evelyn draws on her work in community advocacy and her Puerto Rican heritage to help build connections that benefit guests and tenants on their housing journeys.

“We have a large Hispanic and Latino population of guests, tenants, trainees and staff,” says Evelyn. “I’m able to use my culture to help individuals feel comfortable and heard. Sensitivity to different dialects, taboos and other areas is an advantage.”

“Pine Street is a village, and like any community, people have to work together,” says Evelyn. “We’re here to meet people where they are. We work at their pace and level of comfort to help find an apartment and community that they’re comfortable in and where they can thrive. That’s what it’s all about to me.”