Affordable Housing

By Marsha Vas Dupre

Marsha believes that the inadequate supply of workforce housing is one of the most serious issues facing the City Council.

With respect to Santa Rosa's homeless or unsheltered population, Marsha says, "I have been devastated that we have been unable to come up with a solution to provide shelter for people of all ages. I became aware in my work as a school counselor that many children not only do not receive the basic necessities of life, but they also do not receive the love and encouragement needed for them to mature into healthy adults. We will reap the sad results from inadequate parenting skills, nutrition and love. This is not an irreconcilable situation. Funding for family services is as important as funding for recreational programs and facilities. We must work with the County, other municipalities and the non-profits to form a shared vision in addressing these needs rather than working in isolation."

"In addition to the social impacts of homelessness, I became keenly aware of the negative effects on the environment by participating in a recent Santa Rosa Creek clean-up. I will continue to persevere with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Youth Build to engage the population to build suitable shelters and find alternative solutions to this very difficult situation."