Agenda Item # 8.1 - Alaina Schroeder | Received 05/17/2022CAUTION: This email originated from an External Source. Please use proper judgment and caution when opening
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From:Alaina Purcell Schroeder
To:City Clerk
Subject:EXTERNAL - Public Comment Re iTEM # 8.1 CDBG - Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley
Date:Monday, May 16, 2022 7:21:10 PM
Attachments:Outlook-sgazmxh3.png
Good evening, Mayor and Councilmembers and thank you for this opportunity to share on behalf of the life-
changing work Rebuilding Together provides to the City of Gilroy residents. Rebuilding Together has transformed
the lives of our clients and their communities by providing critical home repairs which help to preserve affordable
housing and homeownership and restore safe living environments for over 30 years.
Our home repair, rehab and accessibility program has assisted long-time Gilroy Residents to remain in their home,
residents that are often overlooked, older adults or people with disabilities that have a home but are cost-burdened
and trying to prioritize basic needs like medications and food while their home, their safe-haven, falls deeper into
disrepair around them and becomes more dangerous to their physical and mental health. 100% of our clients are
low-income, the vast majority are living in Silicon Valley on less than $35,000 a year.
Rebuilding Together makes sure they have heat in the winter, hot water, safe electrical conditions, plumbing and
roofs that don’t leak or cause further damage. We also provide a renewed sense of independence and safety by
making sure they can get in and out of their homes safely and move about their homes without the fear of falling.
Over the past two years we have overcome many new challenges in safely completing our repair work in the
community including inflation, causing our direct costs to increase by a quarter. We’ve seen a 26% increase in the
cost of roof repairs, hot water heaters and furnaces alone. We’re simultaneously seeing clients' needs increase
dramatically. The types of repairs are becoming greater and greater. Nevertheless, our team is working to overcome
these cost increases as best we can and provide the necessary repairs for our Gilroy residents in need of support and
we thank you greatly for your continued support of our critical, life-changing programs.
In sincere gratitude,
Alaina Purcell Schroeder
Development Director
Pronouns: she / her / hers
O: (408) 578-9519 ext. 1004 | C: (858) 361-2955
1701 South 7th Street #10
San Jose CA, 95112
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