Housing Generations of Family through ADU
For Robin and her husband Michael, building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is an opportunity to house “generations of family.”
 
With hearts for service, the DiFalco family has dedicated years of working in the mental health industry as clinicians and previous owners of a therapeutic children's center where they worked with babies who have been exposed to drugs and those who have been abused while families were in treatment and worked on reunification. “We work with individuals who are unseen and feel unloved,” said Robin.
 
Robin first reached out to Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) back in August 2020 after learning about SHE’s ADU Pilot Program with the City of Clovis through their website.
 
ADU’s, also known as in-law units or backyard cottages, are an affordable and effective way to add much-needed housing in California. It’s also a great way to increase your property’s value and generate passive income or care for family, which is exactly what Robin and Michael aim to do.  READ MORE.
Digital Literacy Program in Tulare County
SHE's Resident Services team kicked off their Digital Literacy Program (DLP) at our Tulare County sites. The DLP's purpose is to address the digital literacy and internet access gap by providing digital literacy training and public education to communities with limited broadband adoption, including low-income communities, seniors, and those facing socioeconomic barriers to broadband adoption. This program will benefit low-income residents within Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Merced and Stanislaus Counties.

Our initial program was structured to accommodate large group classes, but during these unprecedented times, our goal is to keep everyone safe and healthy. The program is now being held virtually with small in-person classes (limit of 4 participants) at each site in order to keep social distance. COVID-19 safety measures have been put in place and all participants are required to wear masks during each class. 

The curriculum includes computer basics, internet basics, internet safety basics as well as security and privacy information. Qualifying participants will also be receiving a free Chromebook upon completion of the 8 hour course. SHE also received a $2,500 grant from California Water Service that will help provide free Chromebooks to our participating residents in Visalia.
                                                                           
English and Spanish classes are currently being held at our rental sites in Orosi, Dinuba, and Hanford. To date this year, SHE's Resident Services team has held 25 classes in the following SHE rental sites:
 
  • Goshen Village, Goshen
  • Goshen Village II, Goshen
  • Viscaya Gardens, Dinuba
  • Highland Gardens, Visalia
  • Sand Creek, Orosi
  • Villa de Guadalupe, Orosi
  • Lincoln Plaza, Hanford
Accomplishment: Funding for Lamont PUD
SHE's Community Development (CD) team has been working with Lamont Public Utility District (PUD) for about 4 years. The community has a population of about 15,000 people and has 3300 water connections. Lamont is a disadvantaged community and its water system has experienced aging wells and water contamination issues for many years. The wells are contaminated with 1,2,3- TCP and Arsenic. Over the summer of 2020, one of their most active wells went down completely. 

Although Lamont PUD was already in the process of applying for funding, the state was able to expedite the construction application that Helena Gutierrez, Project Manager for SHE's CD team, submitted three years ago. They then issued a funding agreement for $4 million dollars to take care of one of the main wells. Helena and the CD team is currently working with the state to secure a phase II funding agreement for the rest of the project which will amount to about $20 million. The project will include replacement of their wells, treatment, as well as a future consolidation with the El Adobe water system.
 
“This funding gives me hope that all of the hard work and waiting has paid off," says Helena. "The persistence, dedication and advocacy of Lamont’s board and leaders, particularly Scott Taylor, has been instrumental in driving the process to receive funding quicker. This is only the beginning, and once Lamont receives phase II funding, they will be in a position to help nearby systems attain safe drinking water through consolidation.”
Community News & Activities
CA COVID‐19 Rent Relief Available to Income Eligible Households

Income eligible households who need financial assistance for unpaid rent and utilities will be able to apply for help through the CA COVID‐19 Rent Relief program. If you have experienced a financial hardship due to COVID‐19, have past due rent or utilities, and have a household income that is not more than 80% of the area median income, you may be eligible to receive help to pay past due or future rent and utilities from the state of California. Landlords and renters can verify eligibility immediately by visiting HousingIsKey.com, or by calling 833‐430‐2122, and if eligible, apply.
SOMAH Program

The Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program provides financial incentives to substantially offset the cost of a solar PV system for multifamily buildings in Disadvantaged Communities (DAC). SOMAH ensures long-term, direct economic benefits for tenants and households by requiring the majority of the PV system load to directly benefit tenant occupied units. SHE is focusing outreach efforts to DAC properties in Kern, Tulare, and Fresno Counties. In the last quarter SHE began property outreach in these three counties and has been strategizing ways to successfully engage with potentially eligible property owners.
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