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Washington County is currently the most expensive county in the state, with an average monthly rent of nearly $2,000. For so many families in our community, this means that they are housing cost burdened – spending too much of their income on rent alone. This why affordable housing, like the newly opened development, Altura Apartments, can change lives.
Thanks to the 2018 voter-approved Metro Affordable Housing Bond, Altura celebrated its grand opening last month in Beaverton, bringing 75 new affordable homes to our county’s families. Families, like Lisa and her four children, are finally able to make a home and be part of a flourishing community with a rent payment that is affordable. They have the opportunity to thrive, not just survive.
One such family is Lisa’s, a single mother of five children in her 40s from Oregon City. Three and a half years ago her life went through major changes when she separated from her husband. Due to an unsafe situation, she had to leave and stayed at one of her family’s homes. “It was extremely hard trying to find work, a place to live, everything. I was homeschooling my kids during this time and ended up finding a job at the Hillsboro School District. My mother would take care of the kids during the day,” she shared.
That’s when things were starting to change for Lisa and her family.
“I eventually found a resource at Washington County, still this this day I find it an absolute blessing,” shared Lisa. That resource was Community Connect, a Metro Supportive Housing Services measure funded resources to connect people in need to housing resources. After she called 211 and completed an assessment, she got help signing up for resources such as the Oregon Health Plan. “None of this would’ve been possible without Community Connect. It was a long two-year journey, but it was worth it in the long run.”
There was a lot of moving around at first, she continued, but “they provided us a place to live. It was small, but it allowed us to be here and my kids to continue schooling online while I worked.” They eventually got to a place where she was able to work full time, and her kids were able to go back in school and they were able to have a place they could call home. “It wasn’t the best, but at least it gave us a room.”
And this is when Altura came into the picture. “We actually got to feel like we had our own space. I’m really blessed... I already had a guarantee we’d have a place to live, we were going to have security, it was offering things to my children, education, and that is how I landed at Altura. It’s been nothing but a blessing.”
Lisa doesn’t believe she would have been able to get this opportunity if she did not live within the area. “With Washington County, they are really helping you with the walls. The things that are make it difficult for you to be able to maintain what you need to try and get back on your feet... the resources are there. And they are willing. And they are helping.”
“The Washington County Community Connect is really good, they gave resources that actually went to a person that’s going to be helpful.” She continued on, saying they connected her with a “actual real live person” to help and provide the resources they need to help people be successful in their journey. “That’s priceless.”
She continued, “Washington County is showing humanity, and that’s something we lack nowadays.”
“Honestly, they can build a building like anyone else and not go above and beyond like what they’re doing. But that’s the thing, we’re not just people here with discounted rent” As she continued, there’s a constantly a person reaching out to empower people with useful resources.
Altura has a staff person designated to provide resources, like financial workshops, monthly coffee chats that provide health insurance assistance, tax help, and more. They also provide lists of resources via a newsletter that includes free activities that are kids-friendly and even support to get people on the path towards homeownership one day. As Lisa says, they’re “a steppingstone.”
Lisa's journey should be a reminder to us all. She shared, “It is so important to know, that while it may seem a struggle, open yourself up, be vulnerable.... remember that no one is going to take that away when you ask for help.” She reflected that she was always independent and was never in this position before, and all of a sudden, she was out of a job and had several children to take care of on her own.
Homelessness can happen to anyone of us, and thanks to resources like Community Connect and more new affordable housing, families like Lisa’s are given a chance to build themselves up again. That's the housing system Washington County is building – one where all pieces and programs work together to help families reach their dreams.