I am thrilled to share HavenSafe’s first update with you. After qualifying as a nonprofit in early June, we kicked off our Board of Directors meetings. Our board members are incredibly active and engaged. We've put insurance in place, including accident insurance for volunteers, and launched our website. It’s been a whirlwind few weeks as we work to get everything off the ground.

Last week, we opened a bank account and started accepting donations. So far, I’ve personally donated $1000 in the first six weeks to get everything registered with the government and to become a 501(c)(3) organization. We're eager to move forward and start making a difference.

I've attended unlawful detainer court twice to understand how evictions are processed in San Jose and Santa Clara County. Currently, someone generally must reach eviction court to access resources to cover their rent. A representative from the City of San Jose commented that there isn’t enough funding to promote this offering proactively. 

To work towards ensuring that there is enough funding, we've partnered with Housing Industry Foundation (HIF). HIF has ~ $1 million each year to help with people pay rent in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County, California. 

Our goal at HavenSafe is to provide rental assistance to those at risk of receiving or who have received an initial notice of non-payment. This will help them stay in their homes without having to go to eviction court or becoming homeless. Having an eviction on one’s record also makes it hard to find future housing, another issue we aim to address.

A month ago, I met Sam* at Recovery Cafe, where I volunteer as a Cafe Companion and where I serve on the Board of Directors. Sam received a three-day notice and immediately left because he lost his job and had no way to pay. Now homeless, he stayed at the Salvation Army for two weeks with no plan after that. This story broke my heart, because he might have accessed rental assistance from the City of San Jose if he had known it was available. Our goal is to raise awareness and partner with institutions that provide training to prevent such situations.

I’m excited to share these developments and invite you to join our cause to prevent homelessness in our communities. Stay tuned for more updates or reach out to us at info@havensafe.org. Visit our website at havensafe.org to learn more and get involved. Together, we can make a difference.   

Sincerely,

Shannon

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GET HELP: 650-67-HAVEN; info@havensafe.org

*name changed for privacy