Future of SoHum Housing Opportunities
May 18, 2026
Here We Are!
Upon my return to SHO (SoHum Housing Opportunities) close to 4 years ago the decision to come back to the board and accept the role of board president was done to pursue the safe camp concept for our homeless community. I committed to organizing SHO to reach the level we are now at.
A bit of the back story for those who are not familiar with SoHum Housing Opportunity’s beginning.
SHO, a non profit created in 2018 with Peg Anderson, Yashi Hoffman and a few other dedicated members of our community began to provide shelter in extreme weather for the homeless in SoHum.
In 2019, SHO began efforts by developing bridges of trust with this community of unhoused to determine how to support the homeless community. AHHA (Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives) shower units, SHO and RRHC (Redwoods Rural Health Center) all collaborated in this effort. SHO gained input from the once a week lunches and the showers to learn how best to continue support.
I have been a part of the SoHum Emergency Preparedness team, OES, Red Cross liaison, SHARC (ham radio club) for over 20 years, and a nurse for over 50 years. It was through emergency preparedness that I became involved with the homeless population in the community. Fires (warming / cooking) in the woods becoming more frequent creating an urgency in finding solutions for these folks. After speaking to many people in the camps the suggestion / ideas to create a safe camp came forth.
It was during the 2000/21 COVID-19 pandemic that SHO began providing prevention education along with supplies and food directly to the homeless. Peg, due to a medical condition stepped back and appointed Cathy Miller as president of SHO. Humboldt Area Foundation (HAF) contacted SHO to see how they could help support our services. They covered the expense of motel rooms for 20 of our more vulnerable houseless and food for bagged lunches 3 times a week. The point in time count for homeless was approximately 200 at this time. Humboldt County DHHS stepped in to support our services after HAF (Humboldt Area Foundation) funding ended.
SHO kept a successful program at the motel for 19 months. I took a break from SHO at this time. Cathy continued until the program funding ended. Outreach continued by RRHC who was better able to fund continued services.
It was during this time that 2 motels in Arcata were converted into studio apartments and quite a few of our homeless went north to allow them housing and services not available locally. The folks that remained in the woods were long time locals who did not want to leave their home (camps). Many lived in their camp 20 years or more.
I returned to SHO in 2022 with the continued vision of a safe camp. We restructured the SHO board with the focus on this vision. It was during this time of getting our organization in order that a grant became available from HCD (Housing and Community Development). We were fortunate to have Jimmy Durchslag help with the grant (Encampment Resolution Funding-2) ERF-2. We did not get awarded that grant but the following year we applied for the ERF-3 grant and was successful in receiving a 3.495 million dollar award to transition identified individuals in the encampments into supported interim housing and rapid rehousing.
Grant activities over the past year included locating and purchasing the Garberville Grange and adjoining vacant lot as a project site to create 10 tiny homes, 5 car camping spaces along shared
facilities such as bathrooms, showers, laundry, commercial kitchen, community space for meals and a back up generator, etc. It is envisioned that the remodeled Grange facility could also serve our community as emergency / disaster shelter if needed.
As this site (Grange) development progresses, a local motel was leased currently housing 18-22 people with 8 additional people in rented homes. To fulfill our rapid rehousing requirements we recently requested and was granted a budget modification to lease another property that will provide housing for an additional 25 individuals. This modification also allowed us to bring in expertise support for creating and maintaining the administrative systems needed to provide ongoing site development and services to maintain compliance with grant criteria and reporting requirements. SHO engaged Rise over Run (RoR) Strategies lead by Dr. Anjali Browning and selected team to provide guidance and staff training for developing and maintaining the administrative record and reporting systems critical to meet various deadlines and requirements of the grant. It is with RoR’s expertise and assistance that we met our most critical deadline to expend or obligate all funding by April 18, 2026.
SHO board, staff and volunteers have worked diligently to keep food outreach and connecting with folks that need support.
Due to various reasons, most of our clients need to be taught and learn new lifestyle habits to help prepare them for housing. Interim housing is allowing SHO to get our clients lined up for income, and medical support which is much easier to do when they are located in the motels. This ERF-3 grant will run until June 2027.
So Friends of SHO, we are aligned with getting funding to reach our final goal of a safe camp / micro house village. Low income housing that is sometimes available locally would be a huge stretch financially for this homeless community with below poverty level income. It is with this reality in mind that SHO is committed to continuing the search for funds to reach the final goal of development of a permanent safe camp / micro house village that could be largely self-monitored with over sight and self- sustainable with cottage industry work and business. This plan will allow this community of homeless a place to land after ERF-3 funding ends 6/2027.
Currently, SHO is opening a few board seats for community members that can contribute to the growth of SHO’s activities. The SHO board meets monthly and conducts annual strategic planning retreats that includes developing vision boards. Please contact us, if interested, at www.sohumhousing.org website.
As the ERF-3 projects activities are stabilized, I am taking a three month leave of absence to focus on local community disaster preparedness.
Diana Copithorne will serve as President of the SHO board during my leave of absence. Diana was born and raised in So Hum and brings her many talents to help SHO succeed in this next level of growth. Diana loves our community and looks forward to SHO being an integral part of our community revitalization. We welcome her to this new role.
Sincerely,
Patte Rae
