Mission and Vision:
Our mission at Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun is to engage community partners and volunteers in the revitalization of neighborhoods. Through home repair, modifications and improvements, we provide needy low-income senior, veteran and disabled individuals with a safer, more independent and comfortable life.
Rebuilding Together is the nation’s leading nonprofit in preserving affordable homeownership. The Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun (RTVOS) affiliate is one of more than 200 affiliates that utilize volunteers in providing free rehabilitation and critical repairs to low-income homes. Since 1991, RTVOS has engaged more than 60,000 volunteers from nearly 500 organizations throughout Arizona. Our philanthropic efforts have resulted in $7 million in repairs at over 1,850 homes and 55 nonprofit facilities.
The Issues we fight for:
Affordable Housing:
The number of low-income homeowners increases each year and is expected to grow to an astonishing 28.5 million by 2010. More and more families must choose between vital necessities such as food or medicine or a roof that does not leak. Rebuilding Together works to ensure that as many families as possible do not have to make these difficult choices.
Phoenix metropolitan area, often referred to as Valley of the Sun, is comprised of relatively recent housing development, and encompasses several municipalities. The housing development during the past 30 years has produced many dwellings for Valley families, but many lower income residents have been relegated to older housing stock in neighborhoods throughout the Valley. The housing landscape in these neighborhoods reflect a lack of resource investment, which further perpetuates poor housing conditions. Residents of these houses struggle with inaccessible homes, high utility bills, and never ending repairs.
Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun collaborates with cities, and other organizations, to identify homeowners with housing needs in an effort to stop further dilapidation of older housing stock in lower-income neighborhoods. Through housing repair and revitalization RTVOS, and our family of volunteers, are making a difference one home at a time.
Health and Safety:
“According to HUD’s 2007 American Housing Survey, six million households live with moderate or severe physical housing problems. Anyone can suffer from housing related illness and injury; however certain groups such as children, the elderly, or individuals with chronic illness are more susceptible.” – HHI strategic plan
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control:
- More than one-third of adults’ age 65 years and older fall each year.
- Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.
- Older adults are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five times more often than they are for injuries from other causes.
- Of those who fall, 20 to 30 percent suffer moderate to severe injuries that reduce mobility and independence, and increase the risk of premature death.
Our Senior Fall Prevention program will help alleviate the risk of falling for seniors by installing various safety modifications throughout the home
Come meet your neighbor Pauline and hear her story…Your neighbor Pauline
Environmental:
Henry Thoreau said, “What’s the use of a home if you haven’t a tolerable planet to put it on.” RTVOS believes we can have both a home and tolerable planet. We believe that home repair and rehabilitation are inherently sustainable. By preserving and maintaining existing housing RTVOS prevents unnecessary resource use and waste. The greenest house is one that is already built. Resource conservation is the impetus of the new “green” housing trend; whether it is water, electricity, or construction materials. Efficiencies in the construction and building industry have improved significantly over the past decade. Adopting these efficiencies into rehab work can be daunting, but the outcome is a significant reduction in virgin material use and operating costs for low-income households. Rehabilitating owner-occupied housing also preserves neighborhood continuity.
At the scale of a house, there are several key steps that can be taken to reduce household energy use.
Weatherproofing and Ventilation:
- Increase ceiling and wall insulation
- Seal building envelope penetrations
- Weather-stripping on doors and windows
- Can reduce air condition costs by 15%
- “Wrap it tight, ventilate right”
- Attic ventilation can reduce attic temperatures by 20 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Appliances:
- Accounts for 20% annual electric bill
- Refrigerators alone consume 8% of typical electric bills
- CFL light bulbs are 75% more efficient (Note: CFL’s must be disposed of at proper facility due to mercury)
Windows:
- In Phoenix, single pane untreated widows allow 20 times more heat into the house
- 48% of summer heat gain occurs through windows
- Awnings and overhangs can reduce cooling cost by half
- Reduce heat gain before it penetrates glass
Water Conservation:
- New toilets use 2 gallons less water per flush
- Leaky faucets can waste hundreds of gallons of water annually
- If your faucets are more than ten years old, odds are they’re water hogs
- Aerators can reduce water flow to 2.0, 1.5 or 1.0 gallons per minute
