More Than Just a Roof: SoHum Housing Opportunities Has Plans to Offer a Number of New Services to the Houseless Including Tiny Homes Village

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Dear Community, 

Imagine being homeless, sick, and alone and wanting with all your heart, to change your life, but not knowing how to start, who to talk to, where to go.

During the last three years, the SoHum Housing Opportunities (SHO) board, staff and volunteers have been able to help many homeless people in this situation take their first steps to better their lives.

SoHum Housing Opportunities is a local 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization made up of a board of eight directors, three paid staff and a contracted social service professional who runs our Outreach Program. Our mission is to provide housing and services to people experiencing homelessness in Southern Humboldt. We have seen that in towns where housing opportunities and services are provided to the neediest people, not only do fewer people not have to sleep on the streets and outskirts, but crime and problems like littering, panhandling and loitering go down considerably. In short, towns becomes more inviting places for all, including tourists, and people of all incomes.

SHO is working toward finding funding to establish functional, attractive, low- income housing options for our area. Possible solutions we are exploring include:

• • a tiny homes village within walking distance of services

• • a safe camp that provides some outside supervision, but would be basically self- governed, have toilets, showers and a safe cooking area

• • renovation of older motels into apartments

We are also looking into establishing a drop-in Resource Center, which would provide referrals to people for mental health and drug abuse counseling; sign-ups for food assistance, job opportunities and training, subsidized housing as it becomes available, use of a shower, washer, dryer, and electricity for phone charging: bare basics needed to make positive changes in one’s life.

For almost two years, from March/2020 until November/2021, SHO facilitated the shelter-in-place program, Project Roomkey, at a local motel with funding granted through the Department of Health and Human Services. Through Roomkey, we sheltered an average of 20 homeless people who, due to their health, were found to be at-risk of developing serious complications if they contracted Covid. They were offered a room, food assistance and referrals to services like healthcare, drug and mental health counseling, etc, in exchange for observance of Covid protocols, social distancing and masking. Not one of this high risk group contracted Covid. Due to their cooperation, they not only protected themselves but lessened the spread of Covid in our community. When Roomkey ended three weeks ago, with SHO’s help, two-thirds of the group at the motel had found an indoor place to land.

SHO’s lunch program, now in it’s third year, continues to make a positive impact in Southern Humboldt as well, thanks to our outreach staff and a dedicated group of wonderful volunteers. The volunteers prepare about 100 nutritional lunches that our staff delivers to the hungry every week. Lunches include, sandwiches, vitamins, fruit, hardboiled eggs, protein bars and cookies.

In collaboration with the Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives and Redwoods Rural Health Center, SHO co-produces a monthly event that provides showers, clothing, bagged lunches and sign-ups for services to homeless. Recently, Public Health has provided free Covid vaccines to anyone at the event.

According to the last “Point-in-Time Count” roughly 230 of our neighbors here in Southern Humboldt are homeless. We have the largest concentration of homeless folks, per capita, in the County.

The good news is that every day, SHO is making progress by actively addressing the problem of homelessness. To continue this progress, we need the help of our community, your help. Our fundraising goal this year is to raise $100k to start a tiny homes community that will lessen the suffering of many, and make us all proud of our wonderful community.

Together with funding from government grants, foundation help, volunteerism, and our your generous donations, we can achieve this goal. Please give whatever you can afford today, and join us in being that helping hand. Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Cathy Miller, retired Non-Profit Sponsorship and Publicity Manager President

Shirley Gray, retired Hospice Grief Counselor Vice President

Patte Rae, Emergency Preparedness/Community Nurse Secretary

Seth Einterz, MD Treasurer

Babette Bach, Chef & Certified Nutrition Manager

Director

Jayme Delson, Real Estate Broker Director

Jay Moller, Attorney at Law Director

Scott Sullivan, Behavioral Health Specialist Director

Donation checks or money orders may be mailed to SHO, P.O. Box 323, Redway, CA 95560

or

We hope to have a payment service on line here soon for an easier donation option. Thank you.