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Art covers the walls of Martha’s new apartment. After staying in shelter for over a year, having space to display her paintings, a kitchen to cook in, and a vibrant apartment community to connect with has been life changing. Martha explained when she was finally accepted at her current apartment complex, “I was flabbergasted! I said, ‘you’re sure?’”
Martha is one of over 1,800 people served through the Washington County shelter program last year, all thanks to the 2020 voter backed Supportive Housing Services (SHS) measure(Link is external). This program has been instrumental in ending and preventing homelessness for thousands of people, such as Martha, with various targeted programs.
Martha is a recipient of the Regional Long-term Rental Assistance program, which provides rent assistance and case management services to help people with disabilities and/or over the age of 55 who are experiencing homelessness stabilize in long-term housing.
In September 2023, the Washington County Department of Housing Services interviewed Martha after she was a guest at the Cloverleaf Shelter during one of the state’s hottest summers on record.
Martha has a rich trove of life experiences to share beyond her housing experiences.
She attended a local high school over 50 years ago, became an abstract artist, and stays in touch with her classmates to this day. Martha explained, “After I took a fall in my home, I was evicted during my time in rehabilitation at the hospital. I never thought shelter would be something I would need. I’ve learned with my new disability that there is nothing wrong with asking for help.” Even after she was evicted, Martha continued to pay for a storage unit to hold onto treasured art that she has created and collected from friends over the course of her life.
During her stay in the Cloverleaf shelter, Martha received the Rent Well course certification and prioritized looking for apartments daily. When describing her neighbors in shelter, “Everyone had challenges, but I wouldn’t have hesitated to knock on their door if I needed help at night. We helped each other.”
Given Martha’s mobility needs, her case manager from Centro Cultural helped her transition into a hotel-based shelter with better accessibility accommodations and get approved for an apartment. Martha says, “I cannot say enough good things about Centro Cultural. They are helpful, knowledgeable, and if they don’t know the answer, they take the time to find out.”
From there, Martha moved into her apartment on November 18, 2024. Just days later, she received an invitation to spend Thanksgiving with one of her new neighbors. Since then, Martha has taken advantage of weekly trips to Fred Meyer through a contract with Ride Connection(Link is external) and befriended several of her neighbors.
Reflecting on her move into her current apartment and looking to the future, Martha shares, “Here I am – safe, happy, unpacked, meeting new people, and planning to attend my 52-year high school reunion this spring.”
The photos included in this story are pieces of artwork in Martha’s home, illustrating Martha’s creativity, resilience, and attention to detail.