A Non-Profit Organization That Builds New Homes And New Opportunities

In this video interview, ShowMePortland video host, Jessica interviews Martha McLennan, the executive director of Northwest Housing Alternatives.

 

Creating Opportunity Through Housing

Northwest Housing Alternatives was formed in 1982 and their mission is to create opportunity through housing. They believe that having a place to call home is a foundation for success in life. As of May 2012, they have over 1600 rental housing units in their portfolio state-wide, and that provides more than three million dollars less rent that the tenants of those rental units have to pay than if they were paying market rents.

 

Annie Ross House,Transitional Homes, and the Home Base program
The Annie Ross House is an emergency shelter where up to five families with their kids can be served every night. They can stay for about a month at a time, while they get organized and decide how to move on in their lives. They also have transitional housing for folks who are not quite ready to move into permanent housing. That gives them about a year to be addressing credit issues, employment issues, education, and whatever they need to be ready to move on to the next step.

 

Another program that they have in Clackamas county is Home Base. It provides eviction prevention and rapid re-housing services. It stops homelessness before it begins. Home Base serves about two hundred families a year and in Clackamas county that's really important because, unlike the city, where most of the people who are homeless are singles, in the suburbs, most of the people who are homeless are in families with kids— those kids really need to get stable and have a safe place to call home.

 

In Partnership with the Community
Northwest Housing Alternatives loves being in partnership with the community, and they welcome volunteers. They also have some great events every year that they love to have the community come out and help them celebrate. Learn more about Northwest Housing Alternatives on their web site, www.nwhousing.org