Keeping Our Neighbors Safe at Home

Chris is a 78-year-old Mountain View widow living on a limited income. Her only family is a brother residing out of state, so when her home fell into dangerous disrepair, she had no one locally to turn to for help. Luckily, she found Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP). RTP fixed her windows, gutters, and fence, as well as water leaks, termites, and trip hazards – all at no cost. She told RTP plainly: “If it weren’t for Rebuilding Together, I would be homeless.”

RTP has been making repairs like these since 1989, in more than 4,000 homes and 400 community facilities across San Mateo and northern Santa Clara counties, all at no cost. “Our mission is to repair homes, revitalize communities, and rebuild lives,” says Melissa Lukin, RTP’s executive director.

The homeowners RTP serves, including seniors, veterans, and families managing a disability, get by on an average household income under $50,000. “By addressing critical safety repairs at no cost to homeowners, we offer a lifeline so they can focus on other needs: their grocery or energy bills, their mortgage, if they’re carrying that,” says Robert Skelton, the organization’s director of marketing and community engagement.

Repairing the Housing We Already Have

The regional housing conversation often fixates on building new affordable units. But as Lukin says, “The most affordable housing is the housing that’s already here. And the most cost-effective solution to keep people housed is to repair homes.” As to the question they often hear, why not just sell? As home prices and rents skyrocket, Skelton answers, “Where are they going to go?” 

The work runs through three programs. “Safe at Home” employs two staff technicians, installing grab bars, railings, ramps, water heaters, and the like. On “Rebuilding Days,” sponsored volunteer teams take on bigger repairs at homes and community facilities. For example, at a local domestic violence shelter, RTP rehabbed an unsafe play area and turned the garage into a teen center. And, “Unleaded Homes San Mateo County” tests and remediates homes affected by lead-based paint.

After repairs, 100% of surveyed clients report feeling safer and 95% having had no falls. But the true impact of their work can be found in the personal stories unfolding every day. Eddie, a 73-year-old veteran in a wheelchair, hadn’t left his house in six months because the step at the front door was over six inches high, and his aide couldn’t lift his wheelchair. A sponsored team built a ramp and set pavers. He looked at it, and burst into tears. “You people made a difference. This is what I needed. I got freedom again,” he said.

In a critical time of worsening inflation and deepening social isolation, RTP is preserving affordable homeownership, revitalizing community spaces, and bringing the community together to provide the security of safer homes.