Mark Gordon

Artist Finds Stability and a
‘Second Chance at Life’

On a good day when he is not feeling intense side effects from his medication, Mark Gordon can walk the more than eight blocks from his apartment to the shops at Hollywood and Vine. “Everything I want is here — shopping, mass transit and an entertainment mecca,’’ he said. “I’m basically elated because I have my own place.’’

It wasn’t always so. Seven years ago, Gordon was disabled and forced to live with his sister. Since then, he has made great strides. He’s gotten his own apartment run by the Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (HCHC), and has started to embrace his creative skills as an artist.

In 2000, Gordon was diagnosed with AIDS and became disabled from a debilitating infection. Unable to work, he sought Social Security and state disability benefits, but neither was enough to pay his bills and other personal expenses. He moved in with his sister, but still had financial problems. His case manager at a social service agency in Los Angeles referred him to a transition home where he lived for about three years.

Gordon then found permanent, affordable housing in a supportive community at his current apartment complex. Not only did he like the location and design of his new home, but Gordon also liked that HCHC offered an array of services on-site. “Sometimes I don’t even have to leave the building for my needs,” he said.

For instance, HCHC gave him food through their food bank program, and referred him to a resource that helped him pay off debts to get his financial books in order. HCHC also provided bus tokens so he could see his doctor in Compton. “With security and a stable environment, I can think better and achieve more,” said Gordon, 50.

Harold Way Apartments

HCHC serves low and very low-income individuals and families in the development-heavy Hollywood neighborhood. The agency projects try to preserve a neighborhood’s historical value while ensuring needy families and individuals like Gordon can get basic social services.

Once he knew he had survived the worst, Gordon was able to tap into his creativity. Gordon, who counts his Dracula cape as one of his most prized possessions, translates his love of flamboyant costume design into festive Venetian ball-inspired masks made of papier maché. “My art has kind of given me a second chance at life,” Gordon said, showcasing his latest creation – an electric blue mask made out of recycled newspaper and toilet paper. “It’s green and beautiful!” he exclaimed. He would like to eventually be able to sell his art commercially.

What inspires Gordon is “life itself.” He cherishes his family and likes to volunteer whenever he can. He recently chaperoned a group of children on a field trip to the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). “There was so much excitement from getting on a train for the first time, walking from Union Station and getting a guided tour at the museum,” he recalled. As for his own art work, Gordon would like to continue making masks and colorful, show-stopping costumes that stand out in a crowd. After all, he is a self-proclaimed “wow-seeker.”

Hollywood Community Housing Corporation
$150,000
Two-year capital support

Footnotes:
Low income: Defined by the federal government as families with household incomes that are 50 to 80 percent less than Los Angeles County’s median household income.

Very low income: Defined by the federal government as families with a household income lower than 50 percent of the area’s Los Angeles County’s median household income.

The Los Angeles County median household income for a family of four is $75, 800 in 2008, reported by the State of California.