Volunteer Spotlight – Archie Kao

Thank you to Archie Kao for attending our Vocational Youth Training Program this past summer. Kao is an internationally renowned actor, particularly in China, but he is best known in the USA for his roles as the Blue Power Ranger, as well as in Chicago PD and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

SHOWER POWER – Help Expand Our Youth Construction Training Program

This past summer, in a partnership between Homes 4 the Homeless, Boys & Girls Club Sonoma-Marin, Sonoma County Probation Department, Santa Rosa Police Community Outreach Officers, California Department of Rehabilitation, Seekhaven and Farrow Commercial Construction, local youth were identified for a summer job opportunity in construction building two portable ADA bathroom and shower units for those without shelter.

Listen to H4H CEO Steve Schneider on The Silicon Valley Podcast

Steve Schneider talks about his career, including his time with electric vehicles serving as CEO for ZAP. He also gives advice to entrepreneurs looking to raise money and tells the story about how he started Homes 4 the Homeless after losing his home in the 2017 California wildfires. He also talks about his recent appointment as Head of the Family Office Network’s Philanthropy Division.

Safe Parking for unsheltered living in cars and RVs

Safe Parking programs are a safe and legal homelessness intervention for people who are living in their vehicles to stabilize and connect to resources. While parking sites may take on unique characteristics, most sanctioned locations include access to a restroom facility and the security of a guard.

Keeping Low-Income Renters in their Homes

One way to help alleviate homelessness is to keep vulnerable populations from losing theirs. This is why we are grateful for the work of Urban.org in prioritizing emergency rental assistance to keep renters in their homes by creating an interactive map to highlight where low-income renters face the greater risks of housing instability and homelessness to inform an equitable COVID-19 response.

Churches step in to find innovative housing for the unsheltered

The phrase in homelessness circles, “Not in my backyard” has a response from church congregations across the country: Yes, in God’s backyard. NIMBYism (Not in My Backyard) is the act of a community constantly denying allocation of space to help the unsheltered. But if the community fears that home values, or the quality of life will fall, take a look around you. Something worse is already happening if nothing is done.

Homeless housing in Los Angeles costing $750,000 per unit

Everyone agrees, the cost of housing is far too high.  Late last year, auditors in Los Angeles sounded an alarm after a review of 1000 units under construction for unhoused individuals averaged $600,000, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. This smashes the median home price in the United States, which Business Insider sets at $226,800. […]

WANTED: Donations of Building Materials for Tiny House Trailers

Long the toy of vacationers and retirees, travel trailers in recent years have unfortunately become the only shelter to thousands of people and families forced into homelessness. Homes 4 the Homeless has zeroed in on modular housing innovations in a tiny house format, but in the near-term we want to accelerate our research into various techniques of transitional housing.