As Princeton Community Village (PCV)’s Occupancy Specialist, Brenda Jesurum spends the bulk of her time handling complex paperwork. This includes lease renewals, rent payments, maintenance requests, annual recertifications required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), move-ins, move-outs, and much more. Her job requires processing a variety of information via emails and government websites. To Brenda, what is important is knowing she is helping people. “So long as I can help them and they feel at ease… and take care of problems in a timely manner, then I am doing my job right.”

After one and a half years at Princeton Community Village (PCV), many tenants feel comfortable visiting with Brenda and sharing what is happening in their lives. She was able to cultivate this safe space for residents with the many resident focused projects she and her colleagues at PCV have worked together on, including scheduled events and gatherings. She is proud of these efforts and believes that they will also create a strong relationship between the residents and the staff. “We want to be more than a piece of paper on their door”, referring to newsletters and notices that are sent out to all the tenants on a regular basis. 

Brenda’s passion for helping others is only matched by her curiosity, a trait that is complemented by her meticulous nature. She highlighted that she enjoys problem-solving whenever its need appears in her role. “There is always opportunity for growth when facing challenges,” she affirmed. This belief does not only serve as a motivator for Brenda, but she hopes it inspires her fellow staff members and the residents she interacts with daily.