West Tuality Habitat Addresses Forest Grove City Council
Executive Director details how 2022 federal funding granted via the council was used; council woman lauds efforts
On Monday, May 8, the Executive Director of West Tuality Habitat for Humanity, Virginia Ohler, addressed the Forest Grove City Council to report on how funding through the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), as granted in early 2022 through the local city government, impacted the community.
“What you were looking to do, or accomplish, was to provide a COVID response to reach those who were living in isolation and to create economic impact in the community,” Ohler said in prepared remarks. “We got right to work.”
West Tuality Habitat used the money to fund activities in Forest Grove that were part of its home preservation program, which provides critical home repairs to vulnerable home owners, including people who are low-income, elderly, disabled or military veterans. Ohler shared some stories of families who benefitted from Habitat services in Forest Grove because of the grant, including these:
Mary Jane lived in fear. When she plugged anything into the electrical outlet it sparked and her breakers blew. We hired a local electrician to fix her outlets and replace her panel box, an extensive repair that she never could have afforded on her social security disability income.
and
Verna was a resident in one of the local mobile home parks. She had no working plumbing. All waste materials were being deposited in milk jugs and water bottles collected in plastic bags. It filled the house and the yard. Not only that but she had some uninvited homeless guests who had taken up residence in her yard and were building bonfires and in the course of chopping wood for the bonfires (they) actually broke her water main. She was threatened with ejection from the mobile home park. In order to get to the plumbing, we first removed two dumpsters of debris from her yard and then her home. We fixed the plumbing. We connected with a local homeless services agency to encourage her uninvited guests to move along and we cleaned up her yard. She remains living happily and safely in her mobile home.
Ohler noted that during last summer's heat wave, West Tuality Habitat installed 26 air conditioners for low-income homeowners in the Forest Grove city limits. Habitat also used the grant to install:
260 linear feet of plumbing pipe,
18,700 square feet of shingles,
1750 square feet of flooring,
570 linear feet of ADA ramps,
370 linear feet of fence,
460 linear feet of gutters, and
790 square feet of insulation.
Habitat also replaced 1560 square feet of siding, did 15 electric repairs on 15 homes, undertook plumbing repairs on 18 homes, and utilized 160 gallons of paint. Habitat also removed 13 dumpsters of debris from the yards of several homes.
“We even removed a number of junker cars from properties in Forest Grove and converted them to cash through the (Habitat) Cars for Homes program,” Ohler noted.
West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is a licensed, bonded contractor in the state of Oregon. For home repairs, Ohler noted that Habitat uses licensed certified bonded electricians and plumbers to do work that require that type of licensing, as well as Habitat’s own staff and many volunteers.
“There was a lot of interagency collaboration involved,” Ohler noted. “We worked with the Forest Grove Foundation, Community Action, Washington County Aging and Disability Services, Medicaid, churches and service clubs. We collaborated very much with various veterans service organizations, the Forest Grove Elks and the Forest Grove Senior Center to help get the word out about the programs and services that were available. We worked with local vendors like Ace, Bi-Mart, Parr (Lumber), various electrical contractors, painters, Sherwin-Williams and Pamplin media.”
Ohler noted that a survey was sent to everyone helped by the program in 2022 to gauge their satisfaction. “On a scale of one to ten one is low 10 is high, we scored a perfect 10 on likely to recommend our services and on quality of work a 9.5. A typical thank you note that we received reads ‘overall the service was great. Everyone was nice and friendly. We're very thankful to all involved. We could not have done this at all without you.’"
Ohler reported that the work has had a lasting impact on West Tuality Habitat as well.
“We developed new systems and processes for tracking time and managing purchase orders and jobs in the queue. We fine-tuned and enhanced ways that we communicate with our clients, among our staff and with our subcontractors. We developed our staff through training and by getting more practice in the field. We hired professional staff to do the repair work and we expanded our bilingual capacity with staff and program materials. We expanded our outreach and network and experienced a big jump in our confidence.”
In her conclusion, Ohler told the city council, “You did this. We were the channel. We were your hands and feet in the community. You were the magic wand that made this happen. You kept families safely in their homes. You prevented dozens of 9-1-1 calls. You had a positive impact on some of the neediest homeowners in the city. You had a positive impact on the city's economic base much in excess of the actual ARPA funds that were expended. You promoted community bonding over shared services. It was a big win for the triple bottom line.”
In response to her presentation, City Councilor Elena Uhing said,
“Truly your organization is a shining star for our community. I'm so proud to have you as one of our members of the community that's striving to keep our homeowners in place, in safety. Thank you so much for doing this and please let your team know that I am just thrilled at how much you've grown and how many new things you've put into place.”
You can view Ohler’s remarks and the city council’s and meeting attendees reaction on the West Tuality Habitat YouTube channel.
You can read more about the critical home repair program on the West Tuality Habitat web site. Repair projects range from yard work and painting and building access ramps and installing grab bar to major critical repairs, like roof or floor replacement. The program is designed to address critical needs that are needed to make the home safer and more secure, and to enable at-risk homeowners to stay in their homes longer.
West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization and a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, and was formed in 1991. In addition to the affordable housing program and its critical home repair program serving Western Washington County, Oregon, West Tuality Habitat also operates a ReStore in Forest Grove, selling gently-used, donated furniture, appliances, home furnishings and leftover building supplies. These sales help fund Habitat activities in the area.
For more information about donating financially, volunteering or applying to be a program participant, visit the West Tuality Habitat for Humanity web site at www.westtualityhabitat.org or call (503) 359-8459. There is also information available at the Forest Grove ReStore at 3731 Pacific Avenue.
