How You’re Helping Two Organizations Move Forward as One
With the overwhelming support of tenants and staff, the EHM and Portland Place leadership teams made the bold decision to merge in January 2022. Now, these two locations (comprising 130 apartments) have come together under one umbrella to provide hope and dignity for more community members.
A bigger, more integrated team ensures more staff and volunteers are on site at Portland Place to provide support and resources. This is particularly important as many tenants are aging and experiencing a rapid decline of both mental and physical health.
EHM is now able to work directly with care teams and families to advocate for more supports from community agencies, and ensure they are prioritized on waitlists for long-term care and other housing with more intensive medical and mental health supports.
“The need [for affordable housing] is crucial and immediate and can make the difference for someone living in poverty to function and even survive.” – Rev. Bob Smith, EHM Board member
More staff at Portland Place also means we can now also plan and deliver vibrant group activities like crafts and mindfulness workshops on-site for tenants. The coffee is hot, and all are welcome!
We’re also helping tenants at both sites stay safely housed. EHM’s Tenancy Preservation Worker is able to visit and speak with tenants who are struggling to care for themself or their home. These meetings allow us to find out what may be interfering with someone’s ability to maintain a clean apartment and then connect them to relevant community resources.
This merger creates much needed cost-savings when it comes to the maintenance and administration of the two buildings. Critical repairs will be able to happen much more quickly, preserving critical housing stock and preventing more people from becoming unhoused.