Dear Friends,
During the winter holidays, we gather together with friends and family to give thanks for our blessings. As we look towards a new year, we want to first THANK YOU for believing in our work to provide Justice Housing™.
Against growing uncertainty caused by COVID-19 and its variants, Jubilee Housing has worked tirelessly to ensure families and individuals with the fewest financial resources have access to deeply affordable homes alongside supportive services, while working towards economic mobility for themselves and their loved ones. We couldn’t do this work without your support!
In late fall, we gathered together at our first in-person event in two years, to Raise the Roof for Justice Housing. We applauded city leaders for unprecedented and innovative funding investments in affordable housing through local resources, including a new Pilot for returning citizens, and we celebrated the coming 120 units of deeply affordable housing Jubilee has under development.
Why is creating more Justice Housing so important? Quite simply, it is that communities are stronger when they are inclusive and equitable. Renowned economist Raj Chetty’s, work demonstrates that the single most predictive indicator of a young person’s future success is none other than where you live.
Living in proximity to resources and opportunity promotes healthy development. It’s like a seed that has good soil, enough sunlight, and water. Whereas living in an area lacking basic resources can choke out even the best seed. His research is also showing that societies with the highest wealth gap have the most challenges to upward mobility.
We are living through a period of wealth division like none we have seen since the turn of the last century—more than 100 years ago. The gaps in resources and outcomes are accelerating and the pandemic has made things only worse! Over 700 people became new billionaires—while at the same time—tens of millions of people are out of work.
Justice Housing is an antidote to this division. Investing in the work that Jubilee Housing does now and the future expansion is an investment in an inclusive community that works for all people. In 2022, we will move from business planning to ground-breaking on two new properties, adding 50 new units to our footprint—the majority of which are multi-room units perfect for families.
This time of year, we are often waiting. Waiting is one of the deepest traditions of the season. So is hope! We are taught to wait patiently in the firm hope that our waiting will be answered, and that our hope will not be in vain.
For future residents—waiting eagerly to hear if Jubilee Housing has space for them—we can finally give them an answer.
So many families who’ve been cut off from prosperity will have a new chance to thrive! Families like Gianna’s, who’ve faced great challenges as survivors of domestic violence and are also navigating her disability. Jubilee Housing welcomed Gianna, partnering with her as she created a home for her family. Gianna’s greatest dream was for her kids to have an education. And through Jubilee to College, she has the support to send her oldest son to college. Her younger children are also active in Jubilee’s after-school programming and summer camps. Gianna is a resident leader, who has served on the Board of Directors, connecting new residents to resources, and speaking out on behalf of persons with disabilities.
Gianna’s waiting was met with a space to breathe, to dream new dreams, and even to think about expanding their family!
But there are too many other families like Gianna’s, hoping for good news of their own. We’re working hard to meet their hope with opportunity, to show them they are not waiting in vain. With your support, Jubilee is on track to build another 120 deeply affordable homes over the next three years.
Join us in making new beginnings possible for future Jubilee families. Help us build more Justice Housing and give hope to families like Gianna’s—please give online at www.jubileehousing.org/appeal.
We’ll be waiting for your good news.
With Gratitude,
Jim Knight
President & CEO