My name is Luna. On October 1st, what was supposed to be a day of joy and new beginnings in my new neighborhood near 9th and 9th turned into an experience of robbery and assault while I was moving into my dream apartment.

At around 4:25 p.m., my best friend noticed several men surrounding my car. I was new to the area and didn’t understand why they were standing so close, staring at us. Unknowingly, they were acting as lookouts while another individual waited for the opportunity to break into my car.

As we went back and forth between the apartment and the car unloading belongings, they managed to steal important items — including my budget binder containing first month. Which I had worked extremely hard to save as a single mother working three part-time jobs. Losing this money has been devastating.

Around 5:30 p.m., after dropping my best friend at work, after helping me. I had a feeling to check my wallet. That’s when I realized the binder was gone. My heart sank. I retraced all my steps, checked my apartment again, and asked my landlord to review the cameras. When I returned around 6:00 p.m., I saw the same men still in the neighborhood, hovering near other cars. I immediately began recording them and reported the robbery to the police.

Later that evening, I noticed one of the men standing outside my window, staring in. I went outside and asked him his name, at which point he assaulted me in front of my home and in front of others in the neighborhood. I chased him as far as I could, just to get a glimpse of his face, but eventually lost him.

This experience has been terrifying and heartbreaking. I have worked tirelessly to provide a safe home for my children, and every dollar I earn matters. To be robbed and then assaulted while trying to move into a place I believed was safe has left me shaken. I share this not only for accountability but in the hope that no one else will have to experience what I went through.

still as we speak, they’re still watching me. They know my car they know what I look like. That whole community on the streets looks out for each other. I’m scared to return home my dream home. I’ve been staying with friends. And yet again I’ve lost when I worked so hard for my kids. I don’t even think I can really go back so today I’m asking for help from the community to please look out for this strange man. And to also be willing to help me out with a new deposit and first months rent at a safer location. Because now I feel like I can’t even go to the one place that was supposed to be safe.

I was even thinking about doing flash tattoo deals because I absolutely want to work again hard for my money.

Anything helps even sharing my story even creating awareness that the population outside is a population that we need to be helping. Because it’s resorting to issues like this, the city is not doing anything to help the homeless community so it does not have to resort to violence.