Dear Editor,
The Dispatch article of Tuesday, Sept. 12, titled
”
Homeless shelter idles
”
did not tell a complete story, and regrettably, cast HomeAid and
three of the area’s top home builders in a negative light regarding
the situation with the development of the Sobrato Transitional
Shelter in Gilroy.
Dear Editor,
The Dispatch article of Tuesday, Sept. 12, titled “Homeless shelter idles” did not tell a complete story, and regrettably, cast HomeAid and three of the area’s top home builders in a negative light regarding the situation with the development of the Sobrato Transitional Shelter in Gilroy.
Foremost, the responsibility to raise funds to build the close to $6 million project is principally the responsibility of EHC Lifebuilders, not HomeAid, Shapell Homes, Standard Pacific Homes or Warmington Homes.
Secondly, contrary to your news story, no promises were broken, as no promises were given to “provide the materials or labor” to complete this shelter. Each home building company has expended countless man-hours in their efforts to value engineer the project and secure free or some percentage of in-kind labor and materials from their subcontractors and suppliers to build this shelter. To appreciate how difficult it is to be granted “labor-in-kind” gifts from busy people and companies, Dispatch readers should ask their landscapers to give them a half a day of labor at no charge; or ask their dry cleaner to forgive their weekly bill.
What the article failed to capture is that HomeAid has a very successful model for building housing that has resulted in more than 125 facilities such as the one for EHC Lifebuilders, across the country; and more than six facilities here locally. Had HomeAid been given a opportunity to comment on this article, we would have said that the key to our model is builders giving of their time, expertise, resources and materials at little or no cost. They volunteer these things as a way of giving back to our community.
No one understands the need to help organizations such as EHC Lifebuilders in their efforts to end homelessness better than HomeAid. Because neither HomeAid, nor our builders were offered a voice, it gives the impression that we have abandoned this project. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Julie O’Connor, Executive Director,
HomeAid Northern California
