Join the WelcomeHomeOC Network. Fill Your Vacant Units while Doing Good.
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t’s been just over a year-and-a-half since the launch of Orange County United Way’s United to End Homelessness’ WelcomeHomeOC landlord incentive program. In partnership with the Apartment Association of Orange County (AAOC) and its compassionate members, the program is making great strides in our shared goal of finding stable, supportive and safe housing for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. We’ve enjoyed a successful yearlong partnership and in 2021 are hoping to build on our joint successes. Many more individual, Veteran, and family voucher holders are still in need of secure housing. So, we will continue to encourage more AAOC property owners to help us bridge the housing gap for our most vulnerable population — and assist their business at the same time. To date, 61 property owners of all portfolio sizes have joined the WelcomeHomeOC network, and 23 of them are AAOC members. In fact, 70 out of the 148 households who’ve been placed in housing are in AAOC member apartment units across 12 cities in Orange County including Garden Grove, Westminster, Anaheim, Tustin, Lake Forest, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Orange, Mission Viejo and Brea. The WelcomeHomeOC program places individuals and families experiencing homelessness, who have rental assistance vouchers referred through the Public Housing Authorities, into
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private market rental units throughout the county. The program streamlines the process for apartment owners like you and provides incentives and support, including funding for security deposits, unit holding fees, a sign on bonus and access to a damage mitigation fund. The program has had an extremely high success rate. To date, it has helped house more than 230 individuals with ZERO evictions. Its turnover rate of 5.6% is extremely low compared to the 2018 renter turnover rate of 19.5% in Orange County. WelcomeHomeOC maintains a wait list of eligible families and individuals in need of housing, which means your vacancies will be filled quickly, and since the program’s inception, 100% of rent has been collected in full. “We launched WelcomeHomeOC last year with the goal to end homelessness in Orange County and remove potential financial barriers for property owners to encourage them to rent to voucher holders,” said Susan B. Parks, president and CEO of Orange County United Way. “AAOC members have been essential partners. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their support and help. Their dedication and commitment have strengthened this initiative even more and we’re so grateful.” If you’re a rental property owner, we encourage you to attend one of our workshops to learn about the WelcomeHomeOC program and the business benefits available to you. We
www.aaoc.com
November 2020
BY ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY
invite you to join your fellow AAOC members as together we give hope to those who need it most, especially during these unprecedented times. Individuals like Day. Army veteran Day returned from deployment in 2012 and was diagnosed with PTSD. Even working 60-hour weeks and two jobs, she couldn’t build enough savings for move-in cost plus rent. Day became homeless and was living in a borrowed car. Her situation seemed hopeless. But then WelcomeHomeOC program helped her find an apartment where she could use her housing voucher. She has now a place to call home and pays 30% of her income toward the rent. With Veteran’s Day on November 11 and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week from November 15–22, let’s continue working together to help every individual, family, and veteran experiencing homelessness in Orange County find a safe place to call home. What affects one of us affects all of us. Stable, permanent housing is an essential human need. Most important of all, it provides safety and comfort to individuals as they strive to improve their overall quality of life. For more information about the program, contact Kristine Peters at (949) 263-6139 or KristineP@UnitedWayOC. org. You can also register for one of the upcoming virtual WelcomeHomeOC Property Owner Workshops at www. welcomehomeoc.org
