“Having this type of housing would give people time to think. You are so full of emotions that it is hard to make any decisions. This would allow you a place to breathe, buy time, and get support.”
Following a disaster, emergency housing is always in short supply. The situation is no different for a small scale disaster, like a house fire. Many families experience financial strain from expensive hotels, insufficient insurance coverage, and inadequate support. Our approach to an emergency housing model is based off of three years of research and working with clients to understand their needs. The Emergency Housing Program at Our Front Porch is broken down into two phases.
Phase 1: Small Scale Emergency Housing
A small multi-family building was purchased in 2019 and currently houses home fire survivors. While this will only be able to house a small portion of the clients, it is a much needed beginning. The data from this pilot project will help justify the need for Phase 2.
Phase 2: Full Scale Emergency Housing
This will be custom built community-oriented housing with all the support services provided under one roof. Families will rent individual units and share common spaces, including kitchen, kids playroom, and laundry.
