Finding Home at Building 404: Bob’s Story

When Robert “Bob” moved into his apartment at Building 404 on the West LA VA campus this spring, it marked more than a change of address—it was a turning point. After months of treatment and recovery, and more than a year sleeping in his truck, he finally had a front door, a kitchen, and a place to exhale.

Bob grew up in Compton and enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17, serving during the Vietnam War era, including a tour in Korea as mechanized infantry. Decades later, when life unraveled, an old Army buddy urged him to go to the VA. Bob entered treatment, committed to sobriety, and spent nearly a year in the domiciliary program taking classes and rebuilding his life. “I just said, I’ve had enough—I can do better than this,” he recalls.

Six months later, he got the call. Christina Alvarado, Property Manager with Century, showed him his new apartment and helped him get settled. Bob did the rest—scrubbing and waxing the floors, organizing the kitchen, and making the space his own. “It feels like mine,” he says. “I pay my rent, I keep it up, and I know I’ve got a roof over my head.”

Stability has opened new doors. Bob works in Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) in the VA’s logistics warehouse, where his “lead-by-example” attitude quickly made him a team favorite. Around Building 404, he’s known simply as “The Candy Man,” always ready with a handful of sweets and a kind word for his neighbors. “If we’re together, we should have fun,” he says. “That’s how you build community.”

He’s also full of ideas to bring residents closer, including raffles, karaoke nights, and card games. When safety issues come up, he goes straight to Christina—not to complain, but to help protect the place he calls home. “These are my neighbors,” he says. “Everyone should feel comfortable and secure.”

Bob credits Christina for her kindness and responsiveness and takes pride in how far he’s come—staying a step ahead on rent, checking in regularly with family, and continuing to help others whenever he can. “I’ve learned that if you work for something, you treasure it,” he says. “That’s why I hold on to this.”

Building 404 is part of a broader effort to bring permanent supportive housing to the West LA VA campus—pairing quality homes with on-site services so veterans can thrive. Learn more about Century’s work at West LA VA through The Veterans Collective.