Background and Description

In the summer of 1985, some City of Tacoma employees were looking for a morale-boosting project for the summer when they found a low-income senior whose home desperately needed paint. They asked the Exchange Club of Tacoma if they would buy the paint, and the club agreed on one condition: they wanted to paint too, not just put money toward the effort. They had such a good time doing it that they painted two homes the next summer; by the fourth year, enough people joined them to boost the number to 14 homes, and the rest is history.

The program has just completed its 22nd year. Homes belonging to low-income senior and disabled homeowners receive both minor repairs and fresh coats of paint. All the work is done by volunteer paint crews from churches, service clubs, businesses, unions, and government offices. Eighty-two homes were painted by more than 1,500 volunteers this past summer. The total number of homes painted since 1985 is 1,654.

People qualifying for the services of this program meet federal low-income guidelines. Over 200 applications were received last year. Homes ultimately will be selected on a number of factors: the lower the income, the higher the likelihood; the more badly it needs to be painted, the more likely; and the easier the job (due to volunteers doing the work), the more likely.

In addition to relieving blight, the program provides a very real boost to the morale and self-esteem of the homeowners. Minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint go far toward relieving stress and improving self image, thereby positively effecting the quality-of-life for the homeowner. Two women who have had their homes painted by us actually have said that they now want to live longer because their homes have been repaired and painted. Last year a homeowner said her faith in humanity has been renewed since meeting our volunteers.

Side Bennies

In addition to getting homes painted, a number of other benefits accrue to the community as a result of the program.

– The variety of organizations forming crews brings people together who wouldn't otherwise meet. Over the years, crews have come from really diverse groups:

– From an organic foods co-op to a CPA firm to Tacoma Arabs, Jews and Others for Peace to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) to Unity Church to F.C. United Premier Soccer Club and the Tacoma Police Department!.

Unusual accomplishments over the past few years:

– One of our crews was organized and managed by a 14 year old boy as his Eagle Scout Project, and the homeowner was extremely pleased with him and the paint job.

– Several crews have enjoyed the project so much that they've painted a second house several weeks after doing ours (the second house belonging to a low-income person in their community).

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Why is there a program such as this?

There are many low-income seniors and disabled men and women in Tacoma/Pierce County who cannot afford to maintain their homes. The situation arises because these people are on fixed incomes that haven't kept pace with rising costs. County-wide, there are currently 7,366 senior homeowners with incomes below $18,000 who were been found eligible for property-tax exemptions.

When people don't have the money to maintain their homes, the homes slowly but surely deteriorate, and the result is blight -- sometimes of entire neighborhoods, other times as eye-sores that negatively impact an otherwise well-maintained block or neighborhood.

Low-income senior and low-income disabled homeowners often have very little left in their lives, and their homes can be a source of either anguish or joy. Without income to adequately maintain their homes, many homeowners suffer from stress, low morale and a lowering of self-esteem.