As a result of their study on homelessness a group of Hyla Middle School students will host a benefit to support emergency transitional housing on Bainbridge Island through HRB.

The featured film, "Where God Left His Shoes", addresses the issue of homelessness and is winner of the 2007 Humanitas  Prize, best Sundance Feature Film.  Co-sponsored by the Lynwood Theatre on April 19th at noon.  For more information contact HRB at (206) 842.1909.

At HRB, our mission is clear:  to preserve the diversity and vitality of Bainbridge Island by providing and maintaining affordable housing opportunities.  As an independent, nonprofit, Community Land Trust (CLT), HRB depends on people like you to make this mission a reality.

These are some real life examples of what HRB is able to provide with support from our members:

• provide a low-cost rental to a single mom
• emergency rental assistance to someone who has just lost their job
• equipping homes to make them safer for physically infirmed
• secure homeownership for local workers

Through a wide variety of programs, HRB members literally help to change lives for the better.

Click here to learn more about joining HRB to help build and sustain community and change lives for the better.

Ferncliff is a green, sustainable, affordable community that is being developed by HRB and designed by Kriegh Architects.  It sits on 6.2 acres and will consist of new affordable homes featuring innovative ideas in sustainability, green building design, and low impact development.

HRB and the Ferncliff project will be featured at the Earth Day activities at Town & Country on Saturday, April 18th.  Come learn more about Ferncliff and what HRB is doing to build community through housing. 

To learn more about the Ferncliff project either call HRB at (206) 842.1909 or go to the homepage of our website at www.housingresourcesboard.org.  You can read articles about Ferncliff in the Bainbridge Review and the Kitsap Sun.

HRB has just received a generous community grant of $10,000 from the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island!  All the funds will be used for a long overdue roof replacement on Island Home.  The work will begin immediately this spring with the total cost of re-roofing estimated between $25,000 and $30,000.  HRB appreciates the generosity and support of the Bainbridge Rotary Club. Thank you!

To understand the value of HRB in our community we only need to hear the stories from the very people the program has benefited. The Ramadan family is just one of the many families whose lives have improved because of HRB.

In 2000 the Ramadan's embarked on the hopeful but challenging journey of moving their family from Lebanon to Bainbridge Island where Mohammed Ramadan was offered a job working at his brother's restaurant, the Pleasant Beach Bistro. His wife Sawsan stayed behind in Lebanon to give birth to their son, Hassan, and it would be another seven months before all three would be reunited.

The Ramadan's became established in the community and had two more children. But when Mohammed's brother sold the restaurant in 2005, the Ramadan family faced new and unexpected challenges.

HRB was there to help make this trying period of time manageable for the Ramadan's by helping to provide affordable housing.  "The staff at HRB was very nice and helpful. Even with all the paperwork, things went smoothly. They were there for us when we most needed help." explains Mohammad.

The Ramadan's faced challenges that none of us are immune to: relocating for work opportunities, loss of employment, and change in family size.  These are all circumstances that HRB empathizes with.  The Ramadan's found new employment at a local restaurant and the family now lives in an HRB home that suits their family's growing needs.

"Our children now have a safe place to live and to play. They have a yard, a nearby baseball field and a park to enjoy."

Because of HRB, Bainbridge Island has gained a family whose background brings diversity and commitment.   Their valuable experience highlights the need for organizations such as HRB during these financially uncertain times.