Staff Spotlight: An Interview with Jesse Sepeda

September 13, 2024 | by Laura Ross

Categories: Spotlight

We periodically spotlight a staff member or partner to help our readers get to know our mission and industry a little better.

This week, we are spotlighting Jesse Sepeda, TSAHC's Lead Maintenance Technician. As part of the Multifamily Oversight team, Jesse handles the maintenance of TSAHC's rental portfolio consisting of one 15-unit apartment property in east Austin and 22 single-family rental homes, and three commercial offices. He fulfills maintenance requests submitted by our tenants, completes quarterly inspections, performs preventive maintenance, and manages renovations and improvements to our properties as needed. Jesse has been a member of the TSAHC team since 2015.

Below is his interview.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I met my wife Samantha in 2002. We have a son and two daughters. Being a husband and father is the most important thing to me.

I come from a really large family - I have five brothers (one is my twin) and two sisters. We were raised in East Austin, where I still live today, along with all of my siblings. We've seen it change so much over the years. East Austin was pretty dangerous when I was growing up. But thankfully, due to the influence of my mom and grandma, I never fell into any of that. The lessons they instilled in us kept us in line and out of trouble.

My mom raised me and my siblings on her own. She sacrificed a lot to make sure we had a good life. When she died of cancer in 2016, it was right after I started at TSAHC. After she found out her diagnosis, she was at peace. And that made it easier for us to endure. But it hit our family really hard. It also brought us closer together.

I feel really fortunate to still be living in East Austin, near all of my siblings. Our families are really close. I love my nieces and nephews like they are my own. We get together as much as we can. It's a huge blessing.

In November, you will celebrate 9 years at TSAHC. Congratulations! What led you to work here and what have you enjoyed the most about your time here.

Before I came to work at TSAHC, I had just been offered a permanent position at the hotel in Bee Cave. I was thankful for the position, but the commute each day was pretty long. When my wife saw the job listing for the position here at TSAHC, she submitted my resume without my knowing. Needless to say, when I got the call to set up the first interview I was pretty surprised! But I was really happy for the opportunity, especially given some difficulties I had encountered during my previous job search. After three rounds of interviews, I was offered the position. I was so thankful to Liz and David for giving me a chance. And I've enjoyed every minute since. It's been stressful at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

When I see what our work does for the people we help, it makes me feel so good. Because of my job maintaining our rental properties, I have the opportunity to get to know the people and kids that we serve and to see the positive impact our programs have on them. Our tenants tell me often how thankful they are for the opportunity to live where they do - a chance they wouldn't have had otherwise.

What accomplishment (personal or professional) are you most proud of?

My first daughter was born in 2007, and becoming a dad has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. I also earned my HVAC license that year, which opened doors for supporting my family. 2007 was a very important year in my life.

If you knew you could accomplish one thing and be guaranteed not to fail, what would you do?

Growing up, I wanted to be a professional basketball player. I grew up a block away from a park that had an outside court. My twin brother and I would go play everyday. We loved it. We played against all the neighborhood kids, even the older ones. It made us competitive, and we weren't scared of anyone.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I still love playing basketball. I also love hanging out with my twin brother and his family. Our families are really close and spend a lot of time together.

Do you like to travel? If so, what is a dream destination for a future trip?

Yes, I love to travel. Growing up, we didn't travel much or go on vacations. But the summer after my mom passed away, our family rented a house in Port Aransas. Then, the next summer we rented a house in South Padre. And since then, I've also been to Las Vegas and most recently, California. We got to visit Los Angeles, San Diego and Carlsbad. We took our kids to Legoland. The weather was awesome. I have a picture of our whole family on the Santa Monica pier at night, with the Ferris Wheel lit up in the background. It was an amazing trip. And it was my second time flying. I took my first flight at 40. Before then, I was afraid to fly, but I was determined to go see these places with my kids.

As for my dream vacation, it would probably be to visit Greece. The water and beaches are so pretty. And I've always been interested in Greek mythology. My oldest daughter is a senior in high school this year and just got her passport, so she can go on her senior trip - to Greece! She has been working so hard and saving for this trip since she was 16. I'm so proud of her.

Tell us a random fact about yourself that most people don't know.

I like to collect collectibles, like sports cards (mostly football and basketball). I used to collect marvel action figures too. I love comics. I also used to have a huge Funko Pop! collection. You'd be surprised how much they are worth! I've sold most of them now, but I have held on to my favorites, including the one I have of Tupac.

What one piece of advice would you give to your childhood self?

Remember the values your mom instilled in you. Focus on your family and make sure they are taken care of. Always try to do the right thing. Don't take anything for granted. Be kind to others. Be grateful. Have perspective.

And above all, cherish the things that you have. Don't worry about the things you don't.

On the House blog posts are meant to provide general information on various housing-related issues, research and programs. We are not liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the information provided by blog sources. Furthermore, this blog is not legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.

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