Affordable Residents Stories Overview
A Look a the Daily Contributions of our City’s Affordable Residents
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Keys4Homes is dedicated to giving those in Encinitas who work here, but can not afford to live or now retire here, a place at the table in our challenging and dynamic affordable housing conversation. Therefore, we have recruited those we call “affordable residents" to highlight the essential contributions they make daily to our city. Without their efforts the wheels of Encinitas would come to a halt. Participants come from a full spectrum of our city; including two medical staff personnel, a social worker, two arts leaders, a community volunteer, a city council member, a father and school volunteer and civic leader. This project’s focus is on these affordable residents’ significant contribution to the life of our city. We want to honor and celebrate the role they play in all our lives.
Farmer in Leichtag’s Vineyard
“I absolutely believe if my great grandmother were here tonight she’d say, “Yes, you are right on Tom, because what makes this community so great is that even though we did not have racial diversity, we have always had economical diversity. Big house, little house, it didn’t matter.”
Tom Cozens
Encinitas Resident
Who Are Affordable Residents?
• Support staffs who serve our schools, churches, businesses, hospitals, civic institutions, social services, elder communities and public safety agencies, as well as our artists and local farmers.
• Workers in Encinitas who contribute to the daily functioning of our city, but are unable to live here because of increasingly high housing costs.
• Young professionals who were raised in Encinitas but can’t start a life in their hometown because the cost of rent here is out of their reach.
• Seniors who have devoted their lives to their families, businesses and/or communities and are now on a fixed income.
• Generations and/or families who are house-sharing in order to cover escalating rent and housing prices in Encinitas.
• Employees supporting themselves and their families on a limited income, who qualify to live in our rent controlled housing communities.
Gita St John
“The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.”
Helen Keller
PROJECT PARTICIPANTS (in Alpha Order)
Azucena Acosta, Social Service Worker, CRC Housing Navigator
Katherine Flavor, Farmer, Leichtag Vineyard Manager
Kellie Shay Hinze, Encinitas City Council Member
Mahsa Olamai, Emergency Medical Technician
Doug Owens, Father, School Volunteer
Kris Powell, Community Volunteer
Michael Schmitt, Community Arts Leader
Gita St John, Senior, Retired Home Health Nurse
Lois Sunrich, Story Arts Pioneer
Project’s Story
“Housing Stigma: Collecting Our Stories” by Lois Sunrich (PDF article).
