HomeAid Orange County develops housing for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Simply put, HomeAid Orange County constructs places for people to call home.
Since 1989, HomeAid has built housing for nonprofit organizations and public partners that has been home to our neighbors experiencing homelessness. What makes HomeAid unique? Through the power of collaboration with our building industry partners, we bring donations of labor and materials to all HomeAid projects, drastically reducing the development cost.
Purpose: To improved or expand housing and resources for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness and to advocate for housing as a human right.
Vision: To be a vital force in creating safe and dignified housing for those who are experiencing or at risk or homelessness.
HomeAid OC is driven by inclusiveness, collaboration and integrity- they’re committed to doing the work!
We asked HomeAid a few questions about their philosophies and strategies:
Share an innovative approach you have used to prevent and solve family homelessness:
HomeAid approaches the crisis of homelessness with an unmatched collaborative approach. Through our unique model centered around in-kind donations of labor and materials from our many building industry partners, HomeAid is able to construct shelters and affordable housing options for our neighbors experiencing homelessness with 30% or more of market costs saved. In turn, the shelter/housing development process goes quicker, is more affordable, and allows the nonprofit that will operate the facility to save allocate more funding to those they serve.
How has your agency reduced barriers for families to access services and what did you learn in the
process?
While HomeAid is not a direct service provider, we work to reduce and break down barriers for families by only having 2 requirements for the families that would like to reside in our Family Care Center: no one in their family can be a registered sex offender and there must be at least 1 child under 18.
Share ways in which your agencies uses Diversion/Problem-Solving strategies to help resolve family
homelessness?
Over the years HomeAid has held steadfast to our fundamental core values: inclusiveness, collaboration, and integrity. The one that resonates so clearly in recent weeks is that of inclusiveness and HomeAid’s leadership teams’ subsequent belief that every individual has worth and human dignity and deserves the basic provision of shelter as a necessity of life. Driven by this mission and core value, HomeAid commits itself to ending racial disparities in the homelessness sector, confronting structural racism in our nation, and expanding our work on housing inclusivity and human rights. HomeAid is dedicated to these efforts through listening, continual learning, and action towards positive change, and pledges to prioritize resources in our work on racial equity and homelessness to help advance our field.
How does your agency outwardly demonstrate your commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in
the programs and services you provide?
HomeAid has vowed to continue to make the necessary investments in diversity, equity, and inclusivity training within our own organization and in the communities where we serve.
What is your one sentence for how your agency visions ending family homelessness?
We can end homelessness together through housing.
