The Emergency Housing Account moves is a critical piece of the spectrum to move families from homelessness to permanent, affordable housing. Housing Alliance member Northwest Housing Alternatives shared Jessica’s story of how she got back on her feet with resources from the Emergency Housing Account. Proposed funding for the Emergency Housing Account will be reduced, and fewer families will have access to this critical support. Make sure more families will receive another chance by contacting your senator (find yours here), and Sen. Richard Devlin (Sen.RichardDevlin@oregonlegislature.gov), Rep. Nancy Nathanson (Rep.NancyNathanson@oregonlegislature.gov), and Sen. Peter Courtney (Sen.PeterCourtney@oregonlegislature.gov) and asking them to increase funding for the account!
Read on for Jessica’s story to learn about the impact of this resource:
Jessica and her own mother who is disabled, and Jessica’s three children became homeless when their apartment complex was sold and their lease was not renewed. They lived in motels until Jessica’s work hours were cut in half. After motel bills depleted their savings, Jessica’s family was at a crossroads and needed some time to get back on their feet.
“I was doing the best I could with what I had. I was going to bust my butt to make things better. I just needed some help.”
That’s when Jessica found the only shelter for families experiencing homelessness in Clackamas County, Northwest Housing Alternatives’ Annie Ross House.
The Annie Ross House provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and intensive case management for families with children experiencing homelessness. Through Northwest Housing Alternatives’ HomeBase program, we can now end homelessness before it begins by offering eviction prevention and rapid re-housing services.
Once in the shelter, Jessica started working with Lisa, one of Northwest Housing Alternatives’ Family Support Specialists. Lisa helped Jessica find resources for her family and began the process of helping her acquire permanent affordable housing.
To save money and rebuild a positive rental history, Jessica and her family moved into one of the Annie Ross House’s six transitional units. These on-campus units are reserved for families with significant barriers to housing who need more time to transition from homelessness.
Jessica’s family was able to move from crisis to emergency shelter, into transitional housing, and on to permanent affordable housing due to Jessica’s hard work, determination and her love for her children.
Jessica’s family now lives in one of Northwest Housing Alternatives’ affordable apartments. She has earned an associate’s degree and will continue her education with the goal of becoming a social worker; she wants to help other families in need!