Berkshire Queer Creative Housing Solutions Forum (Pittsfield, MA)

This is a series of monthly Creative Housing Solutions Forums on the 4th Sundays of Feb, March, & April, & May designed to hear about the housing challenges, needs, and visions of LGBTQ+ people in the Berkshires and then bring them together in Working Groups that will work in-between forums to develop practical projects designed to meet the needs & visions of the people who have similar objectives. And at each monthly forum we will welcome new people who may share the visions of existing working groups or who may create their own working group to work on the housing vision that they care most about.

TAKE ACTION & KEEP US INFORMED ON HOUSING FORUM EMAIL LIST: Also, would you be willing to take action in researching key next steps on any of thE 5 practical solutions (listed below) we are trying to figure out how to implement in Berkshire County? In order to move forward on implementing these solutions, we need people willing to do research and bring stakeholders for these projects to the next 4/28 Forum so we can create Action Groups capable of actually implementing these ideas. Let’s be an action group, rather than just a complaining or chatting group. If you have any ideas about how to move forward on any of these 5 practical solutions, post what you are willing to do and what help you want to this new Housing Forum email group:

q-mob-housing-forum@gaggle.email

FIVE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS WE’VE AGREED TO CREATE ACTION GROUPS TO IMPLEMENT:

1. HOME SHARE: Establishing an LGBTQ+ Friendly Home Share Program in Berkshire County to help homeowners (especially elders) who have more house than they can take care of be able to find the help they need, especially from younger LGBTQ+ people who are willing to trade services like landscaping, cooking, housekeeping, running errands, giving rides to doctors, pet care, etc in exchange for affordable housing.

Home Share Now (Vermont)

https://www.homesharevermont.org/what-we-do/

2. HOUSING ONLINE BULLETIN BOARD: Establish An LGBTQ+ Friendly Housing Facebook Group that would connect to a Group Email list that would help people looking for housing share where and what they are looking for and people who know of housing to share those opportunities?

3. HELP QUEER HOMEOWNERS BUILD ADUs/SPARE BEDROOMS: Begin to survey queer home owners, especially elders, who might be willing to build or remodel spaces in their homes into Mother-In Law Units, spare bedrooms, or Accessory Dwellling Units, and help them find the money, contracting expertise, and legal help they need to apply for permits and finance this expansion/retrofiting of their home into additional affordable housing units, especially for younger queer folks looking for affordable housing.:

4. REMODELING OR BUILDING NEW QUEER-FRIENDLY INTERGENERATIONAL HOUSING PROJECTS: Finding a Developer and Community Development Corporation to apply for major funding to remodel a school or other existing buildings or new construction into a queer-friendly affordable housing project like:

5. HELPING QUEER-OWNED FARMS TO ADD AFFORDABLE HOUSING & AGRO-TOURISM REVENUE: Research ways queer-owned farms might be able to add little houses as housing for farm-workers, future farmers, & seasonal tourists interested in staying at a farm

P.S.-- WE WELCOME OTHER SOLUTIONS: If you don’t see a solution to a housing problem you really want to work on, please propose another Action Team by sending an email to our Housing Forum Group Email and let everyone know what your practical solution is and how you propose a team implement it:

q-mob-housing-forum@gaggle.email

FILL OUT BRIEF QUEER HOUSING SUVEY & INVITE DIVERSE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE: Whether you can attend the forum or not, would you, before the forum, fill out this BRIEF QUEER HOUSING SURVEY to help us create a report and agenda for the Forum and better understand what men in our community need and consider to be our housing priorities. Also would you help assure we hear from diverse LGBTQ+ people about their housing needs & visions by forwarding this invitation to 3 friends/acquaintances who may be interested.

PARKING & ACCESSIBILITY: There is free city parking lot across the street from the Church. The building is handicap-accessible & please email queermenoftheberkshires@gmail.com if you need assistance or special instructions for getting into the building and the community room.

CARPOOLING/RIDE-SHARE: If you need a ride or are open to carpooling, please indicate that when you are registering, & our ride coordinator will try to match you with people nearby who are interested in carpooling or offering rides.

DONATE OR BECOME A MONTHLY SUSTAINING MEMBER: Please donate $5-$20 to help assure Q-MoB can continue to offer more than 20 activities & multiple resources & services to rural queer men all over the region. If you attend 2 or more Q-MoB events/month, please consider becoming a monthly sustaining donor member. By donating $25, $50, $75, or $100/month you can help to sustain the incredible variety of activities, services, and resources Q-MoB provides and assure all of these activities are accessible to men regardless of their age, income, or ability, and best of all you can avoid having to donate at each and every event you attend. Monthly Sustaining Members pay only once a month and then can attend all our activities with no further donation.

HOW TO REACH US THE DAY OF THE EVENT: If you have trouble finding us, will be late, or can't make it, please call/text Bart at 503-734-6508 or Andy at 339 221-3051