Resources from the Emergency Housing Account create stability for some of our most vulnerable families by enabling them to access permanent housing. “Kaylie”
and her three children have experienced a great deal of trauma but finally felt safe when they arrived at Northwest Housing Alternatives’ Annie Ross House.
When Kaylie lost her partner in a car accident, she could not afford a home on her own. Kaylie’s family began “couch surfing”, a common form of housing instability experienced by families with children. Parents will often do whatever is necessary to keep a roof over their kids’ heads, believing that the physical structure is enough to keep their children safe. Unfortunately, Kaylie’s children were not safe; the family experienced further abuse and once again found themselves without a safe place to call home.
Kaylie and her children arrived at the Annie Ross House and began the hard work of rebuilding their lives. Within a few days, Kaylie started meeting with one of Northwest Housing Alternatives’ Family Support Specialist to acquire permanent affordable housing.
Beyond helping families overcome homelessness, NHA’s Family Support Specialists provide trauma informed care to help children and their parents recover from abuse. Over 80% of the families that enter the Annie Ross House have been affected by violence or sexual assault. Kaylie and her children were linked to local community resources and mental health services to begin the process of recovery.
The family also qualified for Northwest Housing Alternatives’ HomeBase program. HomeBase provides Rapid Re-Housing and Eviction Prevention services to help families, couples and seniors, avoid and transition from homelessness. After fifteen days in shelter, Kaylie’s family moved into a home of their own. The family is now doing well, maintaining their stability and know their Family Support Specialist is always just a phone call away.
This particular family has dealt with an incredible amount of pain and grief, but their story highlights the many layers of services provided by Northwest Housing Alternatives. Whether it is a single mom who has lost her job and needs some help, a senior citizen looking for an affordable place to call home or a child victim who deserves a safe place to recover from abuse, Northwest Housing Alternatives and the Annie Ross House are here to help. Thank you to Housing Alliance member Northwest Housing Alternatives for providing this story!
We need you to help families like Kaylie’s by asking legislators to support increased funding for the Emergency Housing Account and passing HB 3357B, which would raise additional resources for the Emergency Housing Account. Please contact your legislators (find them here), as well as these key legislators:
Senator Richard Devlin: (503) 986-1719, Sen.RichardDevlin@oregonlegislature.gov
Representative Nancy Nathanson: (503) 986-1413, Rep.NancyNathanson@oregonlegislature.gov
Senate President Peter Courtney: (503) 986-1600, Sen.PeterCourtney@oregonlegislature.gov