Longer Term Secure Short Term Housing ...cultivating a relational web of community support... ...community created housing security in the most uncertain of times...
On September 8, 2020 the Almeda fire swept through the Southern Oregon towns of Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and South Medford – destroying over 2,300 homes and displacing an estimated 42,000 people.
The hardest hit were the Latinx families – long time members of the Rogue Valley community. Most of these families did not have insurance and their savings burned up along with their homes.
Community is mobilizing and there is yet more to be done. We invite the participation of all our neighbors.
To those who have access to and ownership of the most needed resource - housing - we offer the opportunity to open their hearts and their spaces to Rogue Valley community members most impacted.
The 'Longer Term Secure, Short Term (LTSST)’ Housing team is made up of Rogue Valley community members volunteering their time to create new solutions. The team is working within the context of the larger community, helping to bridge the gap between valuable triage solutions to the immediate housing crisis and those who are working towards the longer goal of affordable permanent housing.
Longer-Term Secure Short-Term means 3-6 months, possibly longer. The ‘S’ for Secure is multi-layered. The overarching goal is enough time to provide families with a home to settle into, a space to de-stress and release the trauma of the fire, nurture their children through their fire anxiety and nightmares, and ultimately help our valued community members remain a part of our community. Our mission is to make housing matches that are not based in urgency (though recognizing urgency), but instead based upon creating positive reciprocal relationships. Our matching process weaves a sturdy web of support.
The greatest need is private spaces, such as:
Guest homes, cottages, or in-law flats
A rental property or AirBnB
Houses or apartments that are not in use
Homes on the market where the sale could be delayed to accommodate a family
Timeshares
Hunting cabins
Now is when our neighbors need us. Not just those who lost their homes- but our neighbors who are wishing they could help. It is found that "helping is the antidote to helplessness." If you or someone you know has the means to offer something more, please don't hesitate to get creative and discuss the possibilities with us!
If you are ready to make an offer of a home or still considering, please visit our Housing Solidarity section or Contact Us with questions and for support in your decision making process.
In grateful community, in solidarity, Jeffri Lynn Carrington Stephanie Baum Shayna Marie Christensen Natalie Stawsky Tía Laída Fé Heather Carleton Abril Jimenez Josefina Salvano Reed Bentley Zuna Johnson Tara Borgilt Erica Sullivan Alexis Schmitz
