Domestic Violence Survivor Housing

Background and Need

Leaders from MACG's Clackamas County Cluster initiated the Domestic Violence Survivor Housing campaign in response to stories they were hearing in their community around violence and unhealthy relationships.

Clackamas County and the surrounding area have a desperate need for long-term housing following a survivor’s immediate crisis from experiencing domestic violence.

Click here to read more background on the project.

Model

MACG leaders researched the issue and  hit on promoting the Oxford House Model, long used for people in recovery from alcohol and drugs, to provide safe affordable, long-term, post-emergency housing options for women and their children to escape abusive environments.

Click here to read more about the model for the Survivor Houses.

Goals

Clackamas leaders have set a goal of opening three survivor houses, one in each county of the Metro area, to showcase the Oxford model at work with this new demographic of residents.

When all three houses are open, Clackamas Leaders will conduct an evaluation, monitoring the houses to see if they are an effective housing option for the Survivor population.  

After the evaluation period is over, Leaders will show their findings to the Local and State decision makers, with an eye on funding and spreading the model elsewhere if it is shown to be successful.

Results and News

In August 2010, MACG leaders created the Brown-Hibbs Domestic Violence Survivor House in Milwaukie, a suburban Portland community. The home was completed with $12,200 in donations of money, goods and services.

After further fundraising and work, MACG leaders opened a new Oxford House model Survivor House in August 2011 in Washington county.

Click here for the latest news on the Domestic Violence Survivor Housing Campaign.

Get Involved

Check the MACG calendar for upcoming Clackamas Cluster meetings, or contact Mary Nemmers, Lead Organizer for more info.