How it Works
HSN mainly works through volunteer efforts. However, volunteering through HSN looks different than with typical non-profits. This is due to our non-traditional (network) structure and way of operating.
Unlike typical, more hierarchical non-profits, which offer pre-determined volunteer roles managed by a supervisor, HSN volunteers often come to the Network with their own ideas, interests, experience, and projects, which staff can help support by connecting people with resources or others involved in similar work.
Our Housing Action Teams (HATs) (see below) are all groups of volunteers with similar interests who have organically assembled over time. They typically meet monthly, sometimes more, depending on their projects and capacity. Staff involvement varies depending on the needs of the HAT.
However, we also have volunteers who work on their own projects individually, or who “float” in between Housing Action Teams.
After reviewing this page, we invite you to:
Reach out to housingsolutions@jcfgives.org with your ideas or questions about volunteering through HSN
OR,
Visit our “Local Engagement Opportunities” page to see other ways to engage in local housing issues outside of HSN.
Housing Action Teams
Housing Action Teams (HATs) are groups of volunteers that have come together to work on a particular project or area of interest.
New HATs are formed when there is an alignment of interest around a particular topic, as well as volunteer capacity to lead the work. Staff provide ongoing strategic and administrative support, a platform through which to promote the HAT’s work, and a link to other action teams.
HATs naturally ebb and flow. Sometimes they go on hiatus, sometimes they dissolve, sometimes new ones arise.
Below are summaries of past and present Housing Action Teams.
Housing Connections HAT
- Has helped create a wealth of resources on ADU’s (including “The ABC’s and 123s of ADUs” guide)
- Works to increase rental opportunities through both “unlocking” existing units and promoting the construction of new, small units.
- Working to identify current and potential resources that could help people build ADUs (including financing, permit processes, designs, and more), and rent out existing spaces (including rooms in homes, ADUs, and single family homes).
- Has worked with Local Investors Opportunity Network (LION) to create a local lending program for affordable workforce housing.
- Worked with a local landlord to provide a values-based educational video about how to be a (good) landlord.
- In collaboration with the Housing Connections HAT, working with City and County staff to promote and implement a pre-approved ADU “stock plans” program to facilitate easier building of modest units.
- Helped host and organize our 9/29/22 “Under the Tent: All About ADU’s” community event.
Contact: housing-connections-hat@googlegroups.com
Permit HAT
- Assessing what regulations and barriers, both actual and perceived, are preventing builders and landowners from creating more housing.
- Crafted and distributed a Permit Survey which received over 100 responses between April – July 2020 and then created a Permit Survey Report, which was delivered to local government agencies in October 2020.
- Crafted a series of Permit Navigator Videos
- Helped host and organize our 9/29/22 “Under the Tent: All About ADU’s” community event.
- In collaboration with the Housing Connections HAT, working with City and County staff to promote and implement a pre-approved ADU “stock plans” program to facilitate easier building of modest units.
To learn more or get involved, contact the Permit HAT at permit-hat@googlegroups.com
Tiny Home Communities HAT
(Active from 2019 to 2022)
- Inspired and brought multiple stakeholders together to turn tiny home community ideas into action and substantive results.
- Tiny home communities can address the need for affordable housing in multiple ways – lower build costs, greater density, smaller environmental footprint, and shared operating expenses – while increasing community control and equity in the housing market.
- Produced a Policy Paper and Call to Action that presents policy approaches to removing zoning barriers to tiny home communities and other affordable density housing options. This was first presented to the City Housing Committee in February 2020, and the group is currently following up with the City to keep the policy proposals moving forward.
- Presented a series of webinars on tiny home communities; recordings of these sessions can be found on their Tiny Home Communities Resource Page.
- Incubated and supported the Community Build Project to create 12 ‘tiny shelters’ to house un-sheltered seniors.
- In Summer 2022, focused efforts around temporary encampment ordinances with the City and County
Outreach HAT
- Helping individuals learn about our housing challenges and empowering individuals to see themselves as part of the solution.
- Produced a short video that illuminates the problem and shows some of the creative choices individuals are making to increase housing opportunity. The video was produced in fall 2019 and was shown to over 400 community members followed by facilitated conversations before being released for online viewing in summer 2020 and garnering 1,000 views.
- Helped organize a presentation on the eviction moratorium, and has engaged the local communities of realtors and faith groups in reflecting on how they might support housing solutions.
- Helps manage social media
- Over Summer 2022, supported 18 public outreach events, such as tabling at Farmers Markets and assisting with the Under the Tent events
To learn more or get involved, contact outreachhat@googlegroups.com
HSN Outreach volunteer Sophie Elan tabling at one of the Summer 2022 “Under the Tent” events.
Screenshot from Abigail Brown’s presentation for the Fall 2022 Sanitation + Housing learning series
The Sanitation HAT
- Launched in January 2022 in collaboration with PHLUSH, with an interest in assessing policy and public education routes to promote the healthy use of greywater reuse systems and non-water-based toilet technologies to expand the capacity of and create alternatives to on-site septic systems (which will likely involve state level changes).
- The group swiftly expanded their field of interest to include considerations of changes to septic and sewer requirements that would lead to increased housing capacity more immediately.
- In collaboration with PHLUSH, created a 6-part Fall 2022 Sanitation + Housing learning series (view session recordings here!)
If you are interested in learning more or joining this group, please contact sanitation-hat@googlegroups.com
Other Potential Opportunities
Below are some ideas for future volunteer roles. Interested? Reach out to housingsolutions@jcfgives.org
- Join our Outreach team. Help us table at farmers markets and community events, where you can engage with the public about local housing issues and our work. Like giving presentations? Help us give presentations to small groups of community members.
- Fundraising/grant research and writing. Help us procure funding that will enable us to continue our work. HSN has already identified possible grants. Grant writing experience preferred.
Data Collection: Help us build a strong repository of existing data and studies on housing issues and the demographics related to housing in Jefferson County and beyond
Public meetings. Do you already regularly attend City Council, Planning Commission, and other public meetings? You can help keep us in the loop by reporting back to us on what you hear/learn about housing-related topics.
- Research – help us research models of permanent affordability that have worked (or not worked) in other communities.
Graphic Design and Photography. Support in creating compelling infographics and visually compelling communications materials or help to take beautiful portraits for sharing housing stories.
Training other volunteers on using Zoom and Google Drive.
- Know WordPress Elementor? Donate an hour of your time training staff so that we can continue to improve our website.
- Helping homebuilders navigate the different processes involved building an ADU (to be rented out affordably to the local workforce).
